iConsuela
by schillingklaus
Summary: Melanie's boarding school is hit by Consuela's curse. Carly, Freddie, and Sam come to her rescue. Carly/Dustin, Freddie/Sam, Melanie/James, Nevel/Megan, Shelby/Vince, Shane/Mindy, and many many more


**iConsuela**

* * *

**Klaus Schilling**

* * *

**Introduction**

* * *

**Rating**

PG-13

* * *

**Background**

This story has been created for the _LiveJournal_ community _5_4_3_2_ , upon a prompt titled _Hidden Things_, presenting four picture prompts that had to be used in some way: A set of Halloween pumpkins, a bucket full of multi-coloured candy, a few kittens with fanciful masks, and a young woman dressed as a pirate or musketeer with a rapier.

This story uses all those prompts.

The story also serves for the _LiveJournal_ community _Paranormal25_, my claim being _Zoey 101,Drake & Josh, iCarly_, promptset _Scary_, prompt _Revenant_.

* * *

**Disclaimer**

iDont Own _The iCarly Show_, _Zoey 101_, _Drake & Josh_ or any of the lyrics. The shows are the works of Dan Schneider and his colleagues who work for Nickelodeon. The story is not made for other than non-profit usage.

* * *

**Summary**

Melanie's boarding school is haunted by Consuela's base revenge. Carly, Freddie, and Sam come to her rescue. Will they learn the deeper secrets of Halloween? Will Socko finally get unmasked? Will Freddie succeed in teaching fencing to some arrogant actress that is allergic to certain candy?

* * *

**Timeline**

After second season _The iCarly Show_, after first season _True Jackson VP_. Post series elsewhere.

* * *

**Dedication**

This occultist romance is dedicated to Fernando Pessoa, a Portuguese poet who masked behind a variety of heteronyms, such as Ricardo Reis, Alexander Search, Alberto Caeiro, Álvaro do Campos, Bernardo Soares.

* * *

**Prologue: Masks and Undermasks**

* * *

How many masks wear we, and undermasks,  
Upon our countenance of soul, and when  
If for self-sport the soul itself unmasks,  
Knows it the last mask off and the face plain?  
The true mask feels no inside to the mask  
But looks out of the mask by co-masked eyes.  
Whatever consciousness begins the task  
The tasks accepted use to sleepness ties.  
Like a child frighted by its mirrored faces,  
Our souls, that children are, being thought-losing,  
Foist otherness upon their seen grimaces  
and get a whole world on their forgot causing;  
and, when a thought would unmask our souls masking,  
Itself goes not unmasked to the unmasking.  
[0:1]

* * *

Judex ergo cum sedebit,  
quidquid latet, apparebit,  
nil inultum remanebit.  
[0:2]

* * *

Know that what is before Your face, and what is hidden from You will be revealed to You. For nothing hidden will fail to be revealed.

Tell no lie and do not what You hate, for all things are plain in the face of Heaven. For nothing hidden will fail to be revealed, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered.

A fortified city built on a high mountain cannot fall, nor can it be hidden. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a lamp-stand so that all who come in and go out will see its light.

The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge and hidden them. They have not entered, nor have they allowed those who wish so to enter. You, however, be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. Images are visible to man, and the light which is in them is hidden in the image of the Light of the Father. He will reveal Himself and His image is hidden by His light.

He who will drink from My mouth will become like Me. I myself shall become like him, and the hidden will be revealed to him.

The Kingdom is like a man who had a treasure hidden in his field without knowing it. And after he died, he left it to his son. The son did not know about the treasure. He accepted the field and sold it. And the one who bought it went plowing and found the treasure. He began to lend money at interest to those who wanted it.

[0:3]

* * *

**Contents**

* * *

Chapter 1 Halloween is coming

* * *

Chapter 2 Welcome at PCA

* * *

Chapter 3 Spencer Tries Out

* * *

Chapter 4 Socko Unmasked

* * *

Chapter 5 En Garde!

* * *

Chapter 6 Moving Out Again

* * *

Chapter 7 Halloween Party

* * *

Chapter 8 Conclusions

* * *

**Chapter 1 Halloween is coming**

* * *

**Time:** Early October of Carly's Sophomore Year

**Place:** The foyer of Carly's loft

**People:** Carly Shay, Samantha Puckett, Fredward Benson, Spencer Shay (later), Melanie (phone)

Freddie, Sam, and Carly were sitting by the great table, waiting for Spencer's world-famous spaghetti tacos to be served.

'Have you already got some ideas for our Halloween special?' Sam wondered.

Carly shrugged. 'No more the apartment of the Halberstadts! [1:1] '

'How about George the Bra?' Freddie asked.

'Lame!' Sam and Carly declared unison.

Spencer bounded in, carrying several plates with spaghetti tacos. 'George is my best friend!' He beamed.

'Oh, I meant …' Carly stammered. 'George is cool.'

'Yeah!' Sam beamed hypocritically. 'Nothing may be cooler than George the Bra telling spooky stories!' She feigned shivering like an aspen tree.

Spencer placed the plates next to the kids. 'OK, I've tried a new sauce, I call if Tabanade, a mixture of tabasco and tapenade …'

Freddie tasted, and he swore that he could breathe flames.

Sam didn't get bothered all that much. While Carly's and Freddie's plate appeared still untouched, Sam was already done with her plate.

Freddie sighed. 'Oh, Spencer, will Socko bring you another pupmpkin?'

Spencer nodded. 'Sure! But a smaller one, I hope … my tools are already rigged and ready!'

'Who is Socko, anyways?' Sam moaned.

Carly shrugged. 'I don't believe that Socko exists. It's just one of Spencer's masquerades.'

'Hey!' Spencer pouted. 'Never doubt in the big Socko!'

Freddie shook his head. 'Whatever … masks are not bad, they are so … halloweenish?' He scratched his had. Was halloweenish even a word?

Sam nodded. 'OK, let's ask the viewers to send us their best Halloween masks, and we will show them!'

Carly high-fived with Sam. 'Excellent idea!'

'Carly, there's something more you should know …' Spencer stammered.

'Our goldfish died again?' Carly asked.

Spencer shook his head. 'Not exactly … but your step-cousin Josh has enrolled at art school.'

'Art school?' Carly moaned. 'But he wanted to become either a scientist or a shark!'

'He wanted …' Spencer chuckled. 'But I've talked him into …'

Carly looked sternly at Spencer.

'Hey! He has always been a good designer!' Spencer remarked. 'Kind of … sort of …'

Carly sighed. Spencer had apparently totally corrupted Josh.

'Is Josh hot?' Sam asked.

Carly shrugged. 'I've got a pic of him …' She looked through her cellular phone's address book. 'Here it is …'

Sam took a look at the face in the mobile phone's display. 'Yuck!' Sam was close to puking. 'That's gross! And I've always thought of Freddork as the top of ickiness …'

Carly chuckled.

Spencer shrugged. 'Alas, I've got to visit him for a few days, and I wish that Carly could come with me …'

Sam coughed. 'She can't leave me!'

'I'm going to die without her!'Freddie protested vigorously.

Spencer sighed. 'Too bad …'

'Where is your step-cousin living anyways?' Sam needed to know. 'Just to avoid stumbling into him …'

'San Diego …' Spencer grinned. 'Exactly as my cousin Steve the Psycho, from the other side of the family …'

'Psycho?' Sam shrieked.

Spencer nodded. 'Anyways, Josh's art school is located in Santa Monica.'

Freddie's eyes bugged out. 'That's close to Hollywood!'

Spencer nodded. 'He wants to make arts for movies.'

'Hey!' Sam coughed. 'Melanie's boarding school is located in the area of Santa Monica/Malibu!'

'Why don't you visit her?' Carly suggested.

'I wouldn't hesitate …' Freddie beamed.

'Shutup, Freddork!' Sam bellowed. 'Why would I want to see her? She's unbearable!'

Carly shrugged. 'OK … but I like her!'

Sam pouted.

'Hey!' Carly choked. 'That doesn't mean that you're no longer my best friend!'

Sam sighed with relief. Suddenly her cell-phone rang. 'Sam Puckett …' sam moaned. 'Melanie?' Sam was flabbergasted. That was a curse, sort of. Did her evil twin have to call her just in that moment. 'No interest …' Sam boomed. But then she handed the phone unto Carly. 'Maybe you can talk some sense into her …'

Carly shrugged and walked away with the phone.

Spencer wondered what was going on. 'I think that Melanie and Sam are equally sweet!'

Carly returned to the table. 'OK, Melanie says that some kid had refused to spread a chain letter … and now the whole school is supposed to be haunted by Consuela's curse![1:2]'

'There's no such thing as Consuela's base revenge!' Freddie remarked.

Sam chuckled. She had almost got Freddie fooled. And now Melanie believed in that crap … 'Poor Melanie!' Sam snickered sadistically.

'Melanie needs our help!' Carly insisted.

'Help with what?' Sam fell through the ceiling laughing.

'With Consuela's curse, of course!' Carly moaned.

'There's no such thing!' Sam bellowed.

'Well, at her school, there was once a student named Charles Galloway[1:3] … like fifty years ago … who had fled to and died in the wastelands of nearby Redstone Gulch.' Carly moaned. 'A few pupils had discovered his tomb, just a few years ago, and the ghost of Galloway has haunted them thereupon …' Carly's breathe froze. 'We need to help her! Spence … I'm going to come with you!'

Spencer smiled. 'Cool, you rock, sis!'

'I'm coming with you!'Freddie declared. 'Unlike Sam who is afraid of Consuela and Charles Galloway!'

Sam was arrabbiated. 'No, you dork! I'll never be afraid of any ghost or curse!'

'OK …' Spencer smiles. 'Then it's the four of us coming to Santa Monica!'

Carly, Freddie, and Sam agreed. They sang _Consuela's Revenge_[1:4].

* * *

**Time:** Last Sunday of October, Morning

**Place:** Lounge of Bushwell Plaza

**People:** Carly Shay, Spencer Shay, Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Lewbert, Marissa Benson,

'Fredward!' Marissa Benson admonished her son harshly. 'Don't forget your tick lotion!'

'Mom, I …' Freddie stammered - in vain.

'I'm making you personally responsible!' Marissa glared at Spencer. 'In case anything should happen to Fredward …'

'Like Consuela's base revenge! Hoohoohoo!' Sam taunted Freddie without a trace of a remorse.

'What will happen to your webcast?' Marissa wondered. 'Gibby's mom had called me thrice last night. Without _iCarly_, Gibby can't sleep on weekends …'

Sam nodded. 'He's a freak …' she bellowed sarcastically.

'No worries!' Carly smiled. 'There will be a special on Halloween!'

'Really?' Marissa beamed. 'I hate Halloween …'

Spencer shrugged. 'We've got to hurry up! By the way, Melanie has called me, and they need a new adviser for the arts club at her school …'

'You don't think seriously that …' Carly was flabbergasted.

'It's so tempting …' Spencer moaned. 'We've got to talk about it when we're in California …' Spencer sighed deeply. 'I won't decide on anything without your advice, though …'

Carly smiled.

* * *

**Time:** Last Sunday of October, Evening

**Place:** Spencer's Room in Hotel Chambrolay, Malibu[1:5]

**People:** Carly Shay, Spencer Shay, Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Melanie Puckett (later), some hotel clerk (phone), room service guy (later)

Sam stormed the room, looking for the fridge first. 'Oh nooo!' She yelled at the top of her lungs, almost passing out. The others followed her.

'Sam?' Spencer was woried.

'The fridge is …' Sam weeped. 'empty!' She slumped to the floor.

Spencer shrugged. 'Must be a nightmare for Sam …'

Freddie woreried about other things … 'It's mom's third control call …' He passed his cellular phone unto Spencer.

'Spencer Shay' Spencer whispered into the phone. 'Yeah, we've arrived at Hotel Chambrolay, and Freddie is still alive and well … OK, he will take his anti-tick lotion … yeah, mam, shampooing thrice and you won't catch lice! … seeya …' Spencer sighed. 'OK, this is plain annoying …'

'There's the menu, Sam … you may order food into your room!' Carly smiled.

Sam beamed and stood up again. 'Will do!' She grabbed her cell. 'Sam Puckett, Winfrey Suite … I want mac and cheese and ham! Hurry up!' She bellowed rudely before hanging up. 'So what? I haven't eaten more than a sandwich in three hours!'

Carly nodded. 'I could use some snack, as well …'

Sam smiled. 'There's the menu!'

Spencer unzipped his suitcase. 'I hope the wardrobes here are big enough … by the way, starting with tomorrow, you will take a trial week at Pacific Coast Academy.'

'' Sam choked. 'Isn't that a school for snobby rich kids?'

'Your sis isn't snobby and rich!' Freddie sneered at Sam.

'Let's pretend that she is …' Sam bellowed. 'OK, Freddork?'

'Not OK!' Freddie pouted.

Carly had a look at Spencer's suitcase. 'Spencer!' she yelled, all the way flabbergasted.

Spencer whistled innocently.

'Socks, socks, socks, socks, …' Carly shook her head violently.

Spencer sighed deeply.

The room phone rang.

Spencer picked up. 'Shay … cool, she may come right up here!' He closed the call. 'Melanie is here, she will come to our suite any moment …'

'And this is the moment we've nbeen talking about!' Freddie smiled when he saw Melanie in the door. He hugged her fondly.

Melanie smiled. 'Aw Freddie! Hi Carly!' She stepped up to Carly and hugged her as well.

'Melanie!' Carly beamed.

Sam wanted to avoid Melanie, but Spencer's, Freddie's, and Carly's gaze prevented her from doing so. Thereupon, she shook Melanie's hand with disgust. 'Mel!' Sam almost puked.

Finally, the room boy entered and brought Sam her plate with mac and cheese and ham.

Carly gave the guy a tip, as she knew that Sam wouldn't do so. 'I'm going downstairs for supper in a few!' Carly decided. She wanted to invite Melanie.

Sam was slightly jealous when she started devouring her mac like a hungry wolf.

The delivery boy disappeared.

'Will I get to meet the guys who have sought out the tomb of that Charles Galloway?' Carly asked.

Melanie shook her head. 'I don't think so. They have graduated or dropped out this summer.'

Carly sighed with disappointment.

Melanie nodded. 'One of them was the son of a wealthy Hollywood producer.' She smiled. 'A very hot son.'

Carly swooned. 'Oh damn … why do I have to be a few months late …'

'The brother of one of the girls that had participated in the field trip to Redstone Gulch is still here.' Melanie went pale and coughed.

Carly wondered why Melanie talked about that boy in such a way, but, OK … 'At least someone to get some info from …'

Melanie sighed. 'Shelby's cousin has also been in that field trip … Lola Martinez, an aspiring actress!'

Sam and Carly choked.

'May I date her?' Freddie blushed a shade of crimson.

'Forget it, Fredweird!' Sam bellowed. 'She's much too hot for you!'

Freddie sighed with disappointment. 'How will we get to the campus?'

Melanie chuckled. 'My roomie Megan, Carly's cousin, is also a student here. Her step-brother Josh will come and deliver her, taking you along.'

Carly and Sam shrugged.

'You've got a female cousin?' Freddie stared at Carly. 'Is she hot?'

'Give it up, Dorkweird!' Sam bellowed rudely.

'Hey, Megan looks a lot like me!' Carly chuckled. 'But she's totally tricky. You will get your fingers burned if you try to …'

Freddie sighed.

Sam directed a taunting laughter towards Freddie.

Suddenly, the room's phone rang again. Spencer picked it up. 'Hello, this is Spencer Shay … oh, yeah, really? … Cool, wednesday night at 8 p.m., Sushi Rox? … Yeah, that's OK …' Spencer noted some password.

Carly was worried. 'You're a secret agent?'

Spencer shook his head. 'No, baby!' He grinned. 'This was Socko. I will obtain a bunch of new accessories, Wednesday night at Sushi Rox, wherever that is …'

Melanie beamed. 'A Japanese restaurant on our campus … it's excellent!'

Carly coughed. Now she was really worried. Socko had followed Spencer to Malibu and the Pacific Coast Academy, just in order to give him a bunch of new fashionable accessories? 'Why does Socko follow you around?'

Spencer shrugged and moaned. 'He doesn't. I've told you lies, carly, about Socko making me those socks, and stuffs … truth is, I've bought them on the interweb, from some guy I don't know at all.'

Carly's eyes bugged out. How was that possible?

Sam shrugged. 'Maybe it's a trap? You know … Consuela's evil revenge?'

Carly, Spencer, Freddie, and Melanie trembled like aspen trees.

* * *

**Chapter 2 Welcome at PCA**

* * *

**Time:** Last Monday of October, Early morning

**Place:** Foyer in Hotel Chambrolay, Malibu

**People:** Carly Shay, Spencer Shay, Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Joshuah Nichols (later), Megan Parker(later), some hotel clerks (background)

Spencer and his teenie friends were already waiting in the foyer for Josh and Megan.

'I'm really nervous!' Carly sobbed.

'Be strong, Spencer!' Spencer pitied himself.

'Just another boring school!' Sam shrugged. 'So why should I care?'

'Because you need to leave a good impression!' Carly admonished Sam. 'Otherwise they won't accept the three of us together, and Spencer's dream of a decent job that is fun will blow up like a soap bubble.'

Sam was consternated.

A car halted outside the hotel, and two young people bounded in.

'Megan!' Carly squealed when she noticed her cousin entering.

Megan smiled.

'They do look alike!' Sam and Freddie remarked unison.

The employees of the hotel were equally astonished.

Spencer huggled Josh.

Sam whistled innocenty as some naughty thoughts happened to come to her when she saw Josh and Spencer hugging like crazy.

Spencer gave Josh the necessary papers, signed and sealed, in order to let Josh enroll them at the prestigeous and venerable boarding school.

Freddie looked at his watch. 'Let's hurry up!'

Spencer started weeping when the kids left the building. There was no room left for him in Josh's car. But he knew that Josh was going to come back when he had delivered the kids.

* * *

**Time:** Last Monday of October, a quarter later

**Place:** Entrance of the campus of the Pacific Coast Academy

**People:** Carly Shay, Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Joshuah Nichols, Megan Parker, Melanie Puckett

Down to excessive excitement, the kids had been fairly quiet during the ride from the hotel to the school grounds.

But now they had exited Josh's convertible car and entered the campus.

Melanie had already been waiting for them. She waved at the kids. 'OK, I've got classes right now. Same goes for Megan. But Josh will bring you to the administration hall, and then we will meet again in the big break.'

Carly nodded solemnly. 'See you!'

Megan and Melanie walked away. 'See you, boob!'

Josh waved at those giorls, then he took Freddie, Carly, and Sam to the offices.

'Why do they call you a boob?' Sam wondered.

Josh sighed. 'An attitude of Megan … she often annoys the hell out of me, well, she used to. Since she started school here, and I left home as well, things aere a lot better between the two of us. I miss her a lot.' He shrugged.

Carly coughed. She knew that she was going to miss Spencer when they did not live any longer under one and the same roof, but she could bear it as long as they stayed close, or so she thought.

'Here we are …' Josh smiled.

* * *

**Time:** Last Monday of October, yet a quarter later

**Place:** Office of the Dean of the Pacific Coast Academy

**People:** Carly Shay, Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Joshuah Nichols, Secretary Beverly[2:1], Dean Rivers, Ms. Burvich [2:2] (later), Shelby Marx (later)

Josh and the kids stood in the office of the school's headmaster.

Dean Rivers was sittin by his desk. 'Good morning, so you are the kids that try out for this week?'

'Yes, Sir!' Josh twitched. 'I mean, I just took them hereto. These are the papers by their respective parents and guardians.'

Dean Rivers nodded when he took an envelope from Josh. 'Well, this is a very prestigeous school, hence we've got very strict rules, the liberal atmosphere notwithstanding …'

Josh nodded. 'My step-sister is already a student here, so I know.'

Dean Rivers shrugged. He didn't know each and every student by heart. 'OK, then you know what I'm talking about …' Dean Rivers signed a few papers. 'These are the campus passes for the kids. Don't loose them, or the security guys here may cause some annoying troubles …'

Josh Nichols nodded.

Beverly, the secretary of Dean Rivers, closed a call. 'Ms. Burvich will be here in a moment …'

'OK!' Dean Rivers nodded. 'Ms. Burvich is responsible for the dorm assignments.'

'She's an annoying bitch!' Josh whispered into Carly's ear while twitching uncontrollably.

The door went open.

'Ms. Burvich!' Dean Rivers choked. 'These are our trial students - all of them are sophomores. Two girls and one boy …'

Carly was scared by the gaze of Ms. Burvich. She looked like a shriveling demon.

Mrs. Burvich looked at her sheet. 'OK, Fredward Benson … Maxwell Hall 148.'

Freddie looked quizzically. 'Where?'

Dean Rivers shook his head. 'Ms. Burvich will accompany you there …'

Freddie's face was petrified. That satanic witch still scared the hell out of him. 'Yes, Sir!' He choked.

Ms. Burvich looked again. 'For the girls … 101 Brenner Hall! I've already informed their roommate who should be here any moment …'

Dean Rivers nodded. 'OK. Any question?'

Carly, Freddie, and Sam shrugged helplessly.

'OK!' Mr. River choked. 'I've got more important things to do …'

'Ms. marx is here!' Beverly announced.

Dean Rivers nodded.

The door went open.

'Shelby?' Carly, Freddie, and Sam smiled unison.

Shelby beamed. 'Cool! So which of them is my new roomie?'

Ms. Burvich coughed. 'Both Samantha Puckett and Carly Shay!'

Freddie shrugged. The girls had struck a gold mine, while he was going to get scared to death.

Shelby, Sam, and Carly had got a lot to talk about, but they needed to go to their dorm.

Freddie cast one last horny glance at Shelby before the girls were out of sight.

Josh sighed. 'OK, I'm done here …' Alas, he was going to see Dean Rivers soon again when he had to accompany Spencer to the interviews for the future adviser of the arts club.

* * *

**Time:** same day, half an hour later

**Place:** Brenner Hall 101

**People:** Carly Shay, Samantha Puckett, Shelby Marx, Melanie Puckett (later)

Carly and Sam were busy unpacking their luggage.

Shelby was talking about many things that Sam and Carly needed to know in order to find their way on the campus.

Carly had one important question to ask. 'OK, Shelby, your cousin is really Lola Martinez?'

Shelby nodded. 'You know her?'

'well … Melanie has told us about her … and that she has been at this school, and …'

'Not just at this school!' Shelby grinned. 'She was even living in this dormitory room!'

Sam and Carly grinned.

'It's actually Lola who has talked me into coming to this school.' Shelby grinned. 'She talked about all the good kissing boys, and the pools and the beach and the sun, and so on …'

Carly sighed. She enjoyed all that immensely. It was so tempting. But she insisted in coming to this school only if Sam and Freddie were admitted, too. And she had got some real doubts about Sam …

'There are many clubs at this school, there's sure something for you …' Shelby smiled. 'Oh … the boys here are really hot. And after Lola praised her boyfriend, Vince Blake, above all, I started swooning for him …. now he's my boyfriend!'

'Bad cousin!' Sam grinned sadistically.

'Talking about Lola …' Carly's heart beat faster. 'I've heard that she has participated in some field trip to a barren place called Redstone Gulch … encountering something spooky …'

Shelby nodded. 'Yeah, I've heard about it, but Lola didn't talk much about it. The terror went trembling through her bones and her marrow …'

Carly sighed with disappointment.

'Well, Lola's roomie Zoey has got a little brother who has been here for seven years.' Shelby continued. 'Dustin Brooks … he and Zoey were very close. You might ask himn about that. But don't scare him too much, please. He's a bit younger than you …'

Sam bellowed: 'My stomach is empty! Need more food!'

'Let's go to the lounge …' Shelby suggested.

'OK …' Carly shrugged.

Melanie bounded in. 'Hi, there you are …'

Carly shrugged. 'OK, Melanie, I need to talk to that Dustin Brooks guy …'

Melanie choked and coughed.

'What's wrong?' Carly was worried.

Melanie shook her head. 'It's OK, really.'

* * *

**Place:** Maxwell Hall 148

**People:** Fredward Benson, Ms. Burvich

Freddie was more and more disgusted. Ms. Burvich annoyed him to no end. 'Where are my room mates?'

Mrs. Burvich coughed. 'Well … I guess you have to do on your own …'

Freddie shrugged. Alas, he had hoped to find some new friends here. This wasn't going to be the right way, it seemed.

'After the events with those seniors who inhabited this room during the last three years, Dean Rivers has decided to keep this room as a reserve.'

Freddie shivered and trembled. 'What happened to the guys that lived here before me?'

Mrs. Burvich coughed again. 'Strictly spoken … I'm not entitled to tell you about the destiny of those guys …' she bellowed brashly.

'Consuela's revenge?' Freddie started sweating like the cataracts of Niagara.

Ms. Burvich looked dismayed. 'There is no curse!' She choked. Then she walked out on the room, leaving Freddie on his own.

Freddie wanted to call Carly and Sam, but he knew that Sam was going to taunt him to no end when she got to know about his intimidation. He was not looking forward to his mother's control calls. They were never anywhere near pleasant, but this time, he better hid his fears and worries.

* * *

**Time:** A few minutes after …

**Place:** Girls' Lounge

**People:** Carly Shay, Melanie Puckett, Shelby Marx, Samantha Puckett, Megan Parker, Ashley Blake[2:3], many highschool students (background)

Many students hustlebustled in the lounge. The noise was horrible.

Shelby showed Sam how to fix snacks and soft drinks.

Carly couldn't hesitate any longer asking the question that had been on her mind since they left the dorm. 'Melanie, you've got to tell me … why does Dustin Brooks cause you some mental discomfort?'

Melanie sighed. 'Well … he's my ex-boyfriend …'

Carly sneezed involuntarily.

'We've made out for a few days like … four years ago!' Melanie sighed. 'See, back then, I was much like Sam … ' Melanie admitted.

Carly coughed.

'Well …' Melanie sighed. 'Even worse … I've participated i a program that helped kids from bad families to get a fair chance. At first, I hated this school. I flirted recklessly with boys younger than myself.'

Carly went pale.

'I was enrolled under a fake name, Trisha Kirby[2:4].' Melanie moaned. 'The thing with Dustin didn't last for long, his sister was against it.'

'Zoey Brooks?' Carly supposed.

Melanie nodded. 'She's so buttoned up … she sent her friend Chase in order to dissuade me from touching Dustin. He was too young, so they said, so I decided to pick Chase …'

Carly sneezed again.

'Dustin was mad and beat up Chase. I wanted to take Dustin back, but he never forgave me …' Trisha sighed.

Carly coughed even more violently. She had never supposed Melanie to have such a history.

Melanie sighed. 'At that point, I realised that I wasn't going anywhere. I've started to try hard to gain Zoey's respect. But I never got through.'

'' Carly wanted to know.

'She has got an internship at Dalebloom's in LA.' Melanie remarked.

'Fashion business?' Carly guessed.

Melanie nodded. 'She's a gifted designer and has already been at Milan.'

'Whatever, LA's just around the corner.'Carly smiled. 'When Zoey comes to see her brother, I'll see whether I can talk her into respecting you.'

Melanie sighed with relief. 'Thanks!'

Sam and Shelby stepped up to Carly and Melanie.

'Hey! They've got Blix in twelve flavours!' Sam remarked.

Melanie nodded.

'And doodle cakes!' Shelby smiled.

Megan, who had been floating in the background, approached. 'Hi Carly, there you are again …'

Carly high-fived with Megan.

'This is my roomie Ashley Blake, an aspiring actress!' Megan remarked.

Ashley grinned like a true diva.

Carly sighed.

'Lola is way better!' Shelby protested.

Ashley glared menacingly at Shelby.

'OK, both of you are cool …' Shelby grinned. 'Ashley is Vincent's sister, and I don't want to upset him …'

Megan shrugged. 'Ashley wants to perform in a movie called the Teen Musketeers.' She sighed. 'But for that avail, it's necessary for her to learn a few fencing moves. Yet we haven't got a great fencer at this school, yet …'

Carly grinned. 'Hey! Freddie could do that!'

'Yeah!' Sam beamed. 'It's in his blood. His family is - not for naught - called _The Fencing Bensons_!'

Megan coughed. 'OK, there's a chance … oh, Carly … if you need to see Dustin Books, today he is in the Spellerbee club, after 4 p.m.'

Carly thanked her cousin.

'Why are you so addicted to meeting him?' Megan wondered. 'Have you got a crush on him?'

Carly burst into ecstatical laughter. 'No way! I haven't even seen him yet!'

Megan shrugged. 'Oh, love goes strange ways … using various masks and undermasks and so on … but whatever. Don't miss him!'

Carly sighed. Why would she have loved a slightly younger boy about whom she knew next to nothing?

* * *

**Time:** Same day, after regular classes …

**Place:** Union room of the Speller Bee team

**People:** Dustin Brooks, Melanie Puckett, Carly Shay, Nevel Papperman, Lulu Johnson(background), Simon Nelson Cooke (background), Robby Carmichael [2:5](background), Mr. Callagher [2:6](later)

Dustin, Lulu, Cookie, Nevel, and Robby were already sitting in the classroom when the door opened.

Carly and Melanie stood in the door.

Melanie pointed at Dustin. 'That's him!'

Carly shrugged and walked over to Dustin.

Melanie walked out and closed the door.

Alas, a voice boomed which Carly had never wanted to hear again. 'Do you rue the day, Carly?' Nevel boomed. 'Do you rue it? You rue it!'

Dustin turned around. 'Nevel! Scratch this!'

Carly coughed. 'Oh no, not again!'

Nevel grinned sadistically. 'Oh yeah, Carly Shay, it's me, the angel of revenge!'

Dustin had not noticed Carly, but now he did. His skin turned a shade of fiery crimson. 'Ca … Ca … Carly … Shay …'

Carly choked. Had she been awaited?

Nevel coughed. 'She isn't worth it, Dustin!'

Dustin seemed to have lost his speech. He had totally lost his mind when he saw Carly Shay next to him, the one and only Carly Shay!

Nevel tried to revive Dustin.

Carly sighed. Nevel and Dustin were apparently friends. But why did Dustin almost blush to death?

'I must be dreaming!' Dustin squealed. 'The goddess of webshow moderators … Carly!'

Finally, all the other pupils recognised Carly as well.

Carly figured that her show had a lot of fans on this boarding school, and that Dustin must have been a hyper-fan.

'Touch me, Carly! Bite me! Scratch me …' Dustin begged. 'I need to know whether it's real!'

Carly sighed. Dustin was really sweet. Alas, this was no reason to touch him in a tender manner. She didn't want to hurt him, either. She hugged and shook him carefully.

This must have been real. 'Carly, I …' Dustin stammered.

Mr. Callagher, the teacher responsible for the speller bee team, walked in, interrupting the whole thing for the time being.

Carly couldn't talk to Dustin, right now, but she felt already awful for thinking about abusing such a sweet and apparently loyal fan just in order to be able to talk to his sister.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, supper time …

**Place:** The PCA Cafeteria

**People:** Fredward Benson, Melanie Puckett, Carly Shay, Sonya [2:7] (background), many students (background)

Freddie had been avoiding his friends during the whole day, especially Sam. Now he sat down at a lonely table in a corner in the cafeteria.

Carly and Melanie came along. 'May we …'

Freddie nodded. 'No Sam? Oh, I've noticed that Sam's former private cook, Sonya, is now working for this cafeteria!'

'Sam is visiting Shelby's football training!' Carly smiled. 'Vince Blake is their coach. He happens to be Shelby's boyfriend, as well …' Carly grinned.

Freddie sighed with relief because Sam wasn't supposed to show up any moment. 'Cool!'

'So … what was your first day like?' Melanie asked her friends.

Carly smiled. Alas, she didn't want to talk about her encounter with Dustin, and Freddie's mood didn't need to get downed even more by mentioning Nevel.

Freddie moaned. 'I'm in a dorm without mates …'

'That's rare …' Melanie sighed. 'Maybe for guests?'

Freddie choked. 'The worst is … Ms. Burvich … she's a diabolic pest anyways … refuses to say what happened to the former inhabitants. They are now done with school, but Dean Rivers has decided to keep exactly this room a reserve room …'

'I've told you …' Melanie shivered. 'It's Consuela's revenge!'

'So do you know who lived in 148 Maxwell Hall until last year?' Freddie dared to ask while shivering.

'Chase Matthews, Logan Reese, and James Garrett …' Melanie answered.

'_That_ Chase Matthews?' Carly asked.

Melanie nodded. 'Chase Bartholomew Matthews, the one and only … one of them have refused to follow the orders they had received in an old parchment scroll. Now the room is cursed!' She trembled.

Carly tried to calm Freddie and Melanie down, but for no avail.

'But the worst is …' Melanie stammered with fright. 'Well, another former inhabitant of 148 Maxwell, a certain Michael Barret, has gone completely insane a year ago. He claimed to have seen some teacher named Mr. Takato [2:8] and have learnt driving from him, but no such teacher ever existed at any school anywhere near Malibu. Michael knew that there was no such teacher, yet he insisted in having seen him, even riding in the moonshine on a bony ox!' She sighed deeply. 'Now he's in rehab …'

Freddie went totally pale. Was a destiny comparable to Michael Barret's going to await him? He almost collapsed.

This was the second guy Carly had seen fainting today. Was she cursed? Consuela's revenge? 'Wasn't Chase a member of the expedition to Redstone Gulch?' Carly tried to remember.

'And so were Michael and Logan …' Melanie confirmed. 'They had opened the cursed tomb of Charles Galloway. And on Halloween, the dead will raise from their cursed tombs …'

'Oh, Freddie, we've got a task for you …' carly beamed. 'There's an actress who needs instructions in the elements of fencing, you know, the fencing Bensons …'

Freddie shrugged. 'Who is it?'

'Ashley Blake …'Melanie remarked. 'Megan's roomie …'

'Ashley Blake?' Freddie squealed ecstatically. His eyes took the shape of little hearts. 'I adore Ashley! The greatest tweenie author ever! Can't wait for that!'

Melanie tried to calm Freddie down. Ashley was an arrogant diva, and Freddie needed to be careful. He had already got burnt badly by another tweenie actress named Amber Tate[2:9]. But Melanie's attempts to calm Freddie failed miserably.

Carly had never used to believe in faery tales of any sort. But now she was flabbergasted. Was the end near? Was Nevel right? Was there a curse? Consuela? Charles Galloway? Did both of them go hand in hand? Carly needed to know, desperately, before it was too late. And said Zoey Brooks was the key to everything …

* * *

**Chapter 3 Spencer Tries Out**

* * *

**Time:** Last Tuesday of October, Morning

**Place:** The Pacific Coast Academy, Campus Entrance

**People:** Carly Shay, Spencer Shay, Melanie Puckett, Megan Parker, Josh Nichols, some pupils and staff members (background)

Josh and Spencer had just halted the car.

Carly and Megan had already been waiting at the drop site, now they jumped and huggled the boys.

'Hi!' Melanie waved at the boys in afriendly manner.

'Where are Freddie and Sam?' Spencer wondered.

Carly sighed. 'They have got more important things to do … Freddie needs to teach Ashley Blake fencing, while Sam practises for football. She wants to knock out some teacher, I guess.' She grinned.

'Cool!' Spencer squealed. 'Oh, that teacher could be me if …' He choked and coughed. 'Oh, Carly, you've been sounding somewhat uncomfortable when you called me last night …'

Carly coughed. 'Oh realy? I did? No idea why you thought that …'

'No curse of Consuela?' Spencer wondered.

Melanie trembled and shivered.

Josh was worried about Melanie.

'Aw boob …' Megan grinned. 'Melanie always does that.'

Spencer shrugged. 'OK … but if sometyhing discomforts you or stuff, you have to tell me, Carly, right?'

Carly nodded. 'But don't worry. Everything here is fine. I just wish I could see Zoey Brooks. She must have been a very popular and influential girl here until she graduated this summer. And she's missing here left and right …'

Spencer shrugged. 'Never heard about that thing …'

Josh shrugged in the same manner. 'Megan has started this fall, so we don't know …'

Carly nodded. 'OK, I've met her little brother … he seems to be a total iCarly fan.' She blushed slightly.

'Carly?' Spencer glared at his little sister. 'Dustin seems to have left quite some impression …'

'Dream on!' Carly grinned. It would be very uncool for a girl like Carly to like a younger boy. She could never admit to it. So she tried to deny her seminal feelings. Yet she couldn't just use Dustin as a means for her goals, that would be so totally unfair to such a sweet and adorable fan who was embarrassed to death upon meeting her for the first time.

'OK …' Spencer sighed.

'Uhmmm …' Josh coughed. 'I guess I do know some Zoey Brooks … vaguely!'

Carly and Spencer glared at Josh.

'There is a Brooks girl in my classes at arts school, specialised on fashion design.' Josh admitted. 'I haven't yet talked to her …'

Melanie smiled. 'That must be her! She definitely is a fashion designer!'

Carly smiled. 'Oh cool! So you just need to talk her into …' She felt that she did not need to abuse Dustin's fancrush.

'I see what we can do …' Josh sighed.

'By the way … I've talked Josh into trying out for the position as an adviser for the arts club, as well!' Spencer grinned.

Carly was puzzled. 'But that would make you competitors!' She moaned.

Spencer sighed. 'I know, but I couldn't help it. Josh is such a gifted painter [3:1]…'

Carly shrugged. 'OK, if you say so …'

Melanie waved at Josh and Spencer. 'We need to go to our classes!'

'I'm going to Megan's history class …' Carly announced.

'Have fun!' Spencer smiled at the girls.

'Let's hurry!' Josh squealed. 'Dean Rivers isn't exactly the embodiment of patience.'

Spencer sighed. 'OK, let's go!'

The kids dispersed.

* * *

**Place:** 108 Butler Hall

**People:** Fredward Benson, Ashley Blake, Wendy[3:2]

Freddie entered Ashley's dorm in 108 Butler Hall. He hadn't been able to sleep during the night, dowen to the fear of Consuela's evil revenge and the anticipation of meeting one of his celebrity crushes. His heart stood still when he saw the idol that had made a dozen of wonderful kid and tweenie movies. Now she had grown into a teenie beauty.

'Who's that?' Ashley asked her roomie Wendy.

Wendy sighed. 'It's Fredward Benson. Megan and Melanie have employed him to teach you fencing.'

'OK, Let's start …' Ashley commanded. She took a practice rapier. 'Wendy, my Zorro dress, designed by the one and only Zoey Brooks!'

Wendy sighed. 'Yes, M'lady!'

Freddie wondered - was she redressing in front of his eyes? And did it have to be the design of Spencer's worst enemy?

'Hey! That freak is watching!' Ashley complained. 'Don't look at me like this! I'm a celebrity! The blanket!'

'Yeah, M'lady!' Wendy moaned. She was not only Ashley's roomie, but also one of her greatest fans, and when Wendy was someone's fan, that meant obsession and stalking. She wanted to marry all of her favourite male celebrities, and she didn't mind crawling in the dirt for her adored female celebrities. She took the blanket from Megan's bed and threw it over Freddie, preventing him from seeing Ashley.

'Hey!' Freddie complained. 'What's that? I can hardly breathe!' He struggled, but in vain. Some minute later, he felt the blanket lifted from his body. His eyes bugged out when he saw Ashley as a teenie gladiator. That beat even Sophie Marceaux. His jaw dropped.

'OK, let's start practising!' Ashley commanded Freddie.

Freddie nodded. 'First we need to do some gymnastics. A few situps and rope jumping …'

Ashley shrugged. 'OK, Wendy … your job!'

Wendy moaned when she started doing what Freddie had suggested Ashley to do.

'hey! That makes no sense!' Freddie complained.

'Shutup!' Ashley commanded Freddie. 'celebrities don't work, they make others work for them! And I pay Wendy for that!'

Freddie sighed. 'OK, let's skip this … although we will regret that …' He moaned bitterly. Where was that going to? 'Take your rapier, and follow my moves!'

Ashley shrugged and followed Freddie's instructions.

'The first lesson will be the parade resposte. It's like this …' Freddie demosntrated some move.

Ashley swang her rapier, and … bang! Megan's head pillow was stuck on the tip of Ashley's rapier.

Freddie shook his head. 'You're way too stiff, Ashley!'

The diva gazed arrogantly at Freddie.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, 9 a.m

**Place:** The office of Dean Rivers

**People:** Dean Rivers, Joshuah Nichols, Spencer Shay, Beverly (background)

Dean Rivers looked through the folders of Josh and Spencer. 'OK, you seem to be seriously interested.' He moaned. 'Well, the trial project is this afternoon! 4 p.m., arts room in Turner Hall! beverly will give ypu a sketch telling you how to join that location.'

Spencer and Josh glared at each other. Was it really that early?

Dean Rivers shook his head. 'Today's young people are wafully spoiled … OK … it has to be this week because of Halloween. The project centres around arts for the Halloween party of this school. It has a long tradition, here at the Pacific Coast Academy. And we are not willing to interrupt it.'

Josh and Spencer sighed. 'OK!' they stated unison. They had not expected to have to hurry that much, but, alas, there was no way around it. Both of them loved Halloween, and they would not want to dissapoint all those many kids who loved it, too.

Dean Rivers went through a list. 'OK, so there are four candidates for that position: Joshuah Nichols, Spencer Shay, and our alumni Stacey Dillsen and Zoey Brooks.'

'Zoey Brooks?' Spencer's and Josh's hearts stood still as they heard that name.

Dean Rivers nodded. 'That's one of our most respected alumni, have you got any problems with it?'

Josh and Spencer shook their heads unison. They were just surprised why that name appeared over and over again. Well, they weren't surprised to meet Josh's fellow students as competitors … Stacey was one of them, too.

'Zoey and Stacey are at my artists' academy …' Josh sighed.

Dean Rivers nodded. 'OK … that's it! We will see us in the evening, and don't be late! Discipline is the main goal of this school.'

* * *

**Place:** Some class room for History

**People:** Carly Shay, Megan Parker, Dustin Brooks, Jack[3:3](background) , Max [3:4] (background), Henry [3:5] (background), Ashley Blake, Wendy, Mr. Toplin [3:6](later)

Dustin was sitting next to his friends Jack, Max, and Henry.

Carly sat down next to Megan. She was surprised to see Dustin again. 'Why didn't you tell me that …' Carly whispered into Megan's ear.

Megan whistled innocently.

Carly shrugged. She better concentrated on the classes. She had heard that Mr. Toplin was talking a lot about the independence wars. Hence Carly had prepared for this lesson in order to leave a good impression.

Dustin blushed ecstatically, again.

Mr. Toplin entered the class and greeted the pupils.

'Today, we are going to talk about what is considered by a broad majority of the American population as the greatest traitor of the history of our nation. Who would that be?' He looked around and saw Ashley raising her finger. 'OK, Ashley?'

Ashley stood up. 'Chase Batholomew Matthews!' she boomed with a voice colder than ice.

Mr. Toplin was thoroughly flabbergasted. He remembered the incident with Vince and Chase too well … 'Er, that wasn't exactly what I wals talking about …'

Ashley moaned. Her brother Vince had been expelled from this school after cheating in a test in Mr. Toplin's class, and bullying the guy who had had the guts to denounce him. 'Chase Matthews will so rue having denounced Vince!' Ashley grinned while she whispered that to Wendy..

Wendy shook her had. She bore Ashley's vengeful thoughts, even though they went way too far, even in Wendy's eyes.

Carly was consternated. So Chase Matthews had betrayed Vince, the popular captain of the football team, apparently much to the dislike of Vince's little sister, unbearably lunatic Ashley Blake. Chase Matthews was one of the pupils that participated in the field trip to Redstone Gulch. And Chase Matthews was one of the pupils who inhabitated dorm 148 Maxwell that had been deserted on purpose after his graduation, giving poor Fredward Benson the creeps. Carly started to shudder. Was that Consuela's curse? Well, this seemed more like Ashley's curse, but Ashley herself appeared to be one curse for the kids of her generation.

Dustin Brooks was upset because Chase had been one of his friends. But he calmed down fast. He raised his finger, making Mr. Toplin nod. He stood up. 'It was Bendict Arnold!'

Carly blushed. She knew that Dustin was right, and she would have said the same thing. But how Dustin said it, it was so … sweet. Nowhere near as arrogant as many other pupils who had just corrected one of their comrades.

Megan chuckled. 'So you do like Dustin?' she whispered unto Carly.

Carly shook her head.

Mr. Toplin had confirmed Dustin's statement, and he displayed a slide for the class to copy. It contained several dates from the revolutionary war. 'You will have to deliver an assignment about the period of the foundation of our nation. You will work in groups of two.'

Carly was not going to get assigned a project, but she needed to write a report about her trial classes in order to be considered for a scholarship. 'Mr. Toplin?'

Mr. Toplin didn't trust his eyes as Megan and Carly looked very similar. 'Er, sure?'

Carly stood up. 'My name is Carly Shay, I'm a trial student. I want to write a report about this class.'

Mr. Toplin smiled. 'OK, thanks for your choice! I expect you to give a detailed description of the events listed in this slide.'

'OK, Sir!' Carly sat down.

Mr. Toplin assigned the partners.

Carly sighed with relief. It seemed to work out well for her. Alas, without Freddie's and Sam's efforts, they weren't going to get anywhere. And were her hidden feelings for Dustin really as impressive as Megan kept on suggerating subliminally?

* * *

**Place:** Sushi Rox, the Japanese Pub on the campus of the Pacidic Coast Academy

**People:** Samantha Puckett, Sonya (later), Kazu, Coco Wexler (later)

Sam was too lazy to go to classes, Carly's severe admonitions notwithstanding. She preferred to hang out in Sushi Rox. 'Those California Rolls are delicious!' Sam beamed. She rubbed her tummy, purring with pleasure.

'Don't you have classes at this time?' Kazu, the owner of the sushi station, asked Sam after serving her yet another bowl of rice.

'I'm just a guest here!' Samantha grinned.

Kazu shrugged. 'OK, I'm glad that you like the food here!'

Sam smiled. Then she noticed Sonya entering. 'Hi Sonya!'

Sonya waved briefly at Sam. Then she walked up to Kazu, threw her arms around him, and snuggled up to him. 'My California Roll!'

Kazu hugged Sonya back. 'My blueberry muffin!' He smiled.

Sam coughed and choked. But she was happy for the two of them.

Suddenly, the door was crashed open.

Sam was frightened. She saw a zombie that must have been Coco Wexler, her dorm adviser.

'Sinya, there you are!' Coco bellowed. She held an empty can of ravioli in her hands. 'I need more ravioli!'

Kazu sighed helplessly.

Sonya nodded. 'OK, I'm going to get you some …'

Coco flang her empty can of ravioli into the next corner.

Sam smiled. 'Cool!' She was glad because Coco was obsessed with frequent eating, even more than Sam. Where was Sam ever going to find a school with those cool people like Kazu, Sonya, and Coco? Nowhere! Sam sighed. Now she had to do everything in order to get accepted permanently into the Pacific Coast Academy. She finished her plate, paid, waved, and walked away.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, noon

**Place:** Cafeteria of the PCA

**People:** Carly Shay, Sonya, Fredward Benson, Melanie Pucket, Shelby Marx, Spencer Shay (later), Joshuah Nichols (later), Megan Parker (later), many other pupils and staff members (background)

Carly entered the cafeteria and saw Freddie, Melanie, and Shelby sitting at some table. One place appeared still available, so Carly sat down with them.

'Hi!' Freddie smiled. 'I liked geometry with Mr. Morgans[3:7]. He explains stuff so well. Do you know that the scalar product of two vectors in a plane is the same as the product of their length and the cosine of the angle inbetween them? ' He beamed.

'Grow up, dork!' Carly coughed because she was now talking like Sam.

Melanie noticed that and glared oddly at Carly.

Shelby shrugged. 'I hate geometry, regardless which teacher …'

Freddie pouted. 'I'm the best divider of Seattle! Alas, here they have now some Albert Wormenheimer, a senior who beats us all.' He sighed deeply.

'May you stop talking about geometry at lunch?' Carly asked Freddie brashly. 'Oh, has anyone of you seen Sam?'

Sonya walked past them in order to wipe some table. 'Oh, Ms. Sam … she's in the library! She won't come to lunch.'

Freddie laughed.

Carly choked. 'Sam ditches lunch in order to go to the library?' She sighed. 'That's so wrong! That must be …'

'Consuela's evil revenge!' Freddie, Shelby, and Melanie remarked unison.

Carly nodded, trembling and shaking vigorously.

Freddie smiled. 'Those burritos are delicious! Sonya made them!'

Sonya smiled and walked back to the kitchen.

'By the way, I'm going to the tech club, this evening …' Freddie smiled.

'Does that surprise me?' Carly remarked sarcastically.

Megan, Josh, and Spencer walked into the cafeteria.

'Great news!' Megan beamed while looking into Carly's direction. 'Zoey Brooks will be here in the afternoon!'

Carly choked. 'Wow!'

Josh shrugged. 'Well, she's trying out for the same position as Spencer and me.'

Carly sighed. She had heard that alumni were preferred, thus the chances for Spencer were sinking drastically. 'OK, I'm coming with you to the sculpting club!' This meant that she could talk to Zoey Brooks right away. But it hurt her a lot that Spencer must have been disappointed …

* * *

**Time:** Same day, after regular classes

**Place:** Arts room of the PCA

**People:** Carly Shay, Joshuah Nichols, Megan Parker, Spencer Shay, Dean Rivers (later), Zoey Brooks (later), Dustin Brooks (later), Stacey Dillsen (later), Jenifer Mosely (background), various pupils (background)

Carly and Megan sat down in order to cheer for their brothers. Neither of them were interested in arts.

Other pupils sat around as well, such as Moze.

Spencer and Josh had already started looking for materials and tools.

The door opened, and Dustin stepped in, followed by his elder sister Zoey. He appeared to cling tightly to her.

Carly sighed. What she saw reminded her so much of the times when Spencer went to college and Carly missed him a lot, she had never wanted to let him go.

Dean Rivers and Stacey followed.

Stacey Dillsen started. 'I'm Stacey Dillsen and I come from Massachusetts …' Her lisp was penetrant. 'Cotton swabs are my best friends …'

Dean Rivers stopped Stacey. 'OK, we are here gathered in order to prepare the halloween party, precisely building usual Halloween arts. And one of these young people will be your new adviser. I will decide during the following days. Ms. Dillsen. Mr. Nichols, Mr. Spencer, Ms. Brooks … the class is yours!'

Carly blushed deeply when she saw Dustin again.

Dustin walked over to the girls. 'I'm not an artist, I'm just here to see my sister again …'

Carly sighed. She knew that problem … Then she stepped up to Zoey. 'Ms. Brooks?'

Zoey nodded and shook Carly's hand. 'Yeah?'

Carly sighed. 'I've got to talk to you about something … the thing with Charles Galloway … some pupils fear that he will return on Halloween and stuff, and he's connected to some pupils that have gone insane and disappeared …' She choked hard.

Zoey sighed. 'OK, but not today … Tomorrow after classes?'

Carly nodded. '6 p.m. at Sushi Rox?'

Zoey smiled. 'Sure!'

Carly and Megan tortured themselves through the session of the club. It seemed that all the four of them were not bad … Stacey was the strangest, but, her lisp notwithstanding, she was fascinating in her own manner … unnaturally fascinating … Consuela's revenge? Lisping women had often been associated with witchcraft and dark powers. Carly trembled again.

'Stacey is really scary …' Megan whispered to Carly.

* * *

**Place:** Physical laboratories of the PCA

**People:** Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Simon Nelson Cook (background), Mary Ferry (background), Duane Ogilvy (background), Shane(later), Mindy Crenshaw (later), Nevel Papperman (later), other pupils (background)

Freddie entered the laboratories. He was shocked. 'Sam?'

Sam grinned. 'Hi dorkward!' She chuckled.

Freddie looked. 'What have you got in the tech club?'

'Erm … I want to learn how to build a bomb to blow up Mrs. Briggs' car?' Sam bellowed.

Freddie shrugged.

Other pupils, such as Cookie, Mary Ferry, and Duane Ogilvy chuckled.

The door went open. The adviser, Mindy Crenshaw, pushed a paralysed guy's wheelchair into the room. 'OK, here we are.'

'Shane?' Freddie's and Sam's eyes bugged out when they saw the victim of Sam's and Carly's irresponsible crush being taken to his place.

Shane looked at Sam. 'What?'

Mindy didn't understand.

'This girl has ruined my life!' Shane bellowed. 'What is she doing here?'

'Carly, Sam, and I, we are trying out for this school!' Freddie replied.

Shane choked hard. Being at the same school as those two irresponsible wenches was too much for him to bear. An he felt so safe.

'We're going to talk about it, sweetie!' Mindy grinned.

Shane smiled back to Mindy.

'I'm going to sue them off the school if they dare to bother you!' Mindy whispered silently into Shane's ear.

Alas, one of the pupils were late.

'Sorry, I've been kept up in the cafeteria …' Nevel yelled across the door. Then he opened it and saw Freddie and Sam. 'Do you rue the day, Freddie and Sam? You rue it! Until dystopia will you rue it!'

Freddie and Sam trembled and sighed with despair. Not again Nevel … this could only be a curse … Consuela's bloody revenge?

Whatever the reason, another night without sleep was awaiting Freddie and Sam, just like Carly.

* * *

**Chapter 4 Socko Unmasked**

* * *

**Time:** last Wednesday of October, breakfast time

**Place:** Cafeteria of the PCA

**People:** Carly Shay, Samantha Puckett, Sonya (background), Fredward Benson, Melanie Pucket (later), Shelby Marx, many other pupils and staff members (background)

Shelby, Sam and Carly had yawned their way to the cafeteria for breakfast.

Freddie was already there. He had passed his second night all alone in the abandoned dormitory room where water and light had not been working correctly. He had tried to repair it, but that had ended in a mess, and this was easy to see.

'Oh, look at Dorkward …' Sam chuckled sarcastically when she noticed all messed-up Freddie.

'Nevel robbed my nerves!' Freddie complained, yawning heartily. 'Damn' curse of Consuela! And I have to teach fencing to Ashley!'Freddie shuddered with disgust.

Carly sighed. 'I thought you liked Ashley Blake?'

'That was before she started treating me like dirt …'

'Awwww … who feels treated like dirt?' Sam bellowed sadistically.

Carly glared at Sam.

Shelby kept Freddie from lashing out at Sam.

Sam shoved a blueberry muffin down her throat and burped. 'Sonya's muffins are still the best!' She grinned.

Carly shrugged. 'Today, I'm going to meet Zoey Brooks and ask her some questions …' she moaned.

'Doesn't her baby brother have a crush on you?' Sam remarked sarcastically.

Freddie appeared jealous.

'Hey!'Carly bellowed. 'Dustin is 14 years old! He's younger than us, but that doesn't make him a baby!'

Sam chuckled while stuffing another muffin between her cheeks. She looked at Sonya, wanting more.

'Alas …' Carly sobbed. 'Zoey is the worst rival of Spencer … may I like the brother of someone who is out for ruining Spencer's life?'

'No way!' Freddie squealed. 'You may only like me!'

'Give up, Dorkwart!' Sam bellowed at Freddie.

Melanie entered the cafeteria. She walked over to Carly. 'Hi! You're going to see Zoey today?'

Carly nodded. 'I feel like a traitor, just like Benedict Arnold, but I have to …' She sobbed piteously.

'Zoey is likely to beat Spencer to the job as an adviser for the arts club!' Freddie explained.

'Hey! Just because she happens to want the same job doesn't mean that she wants to make Spencer feel miserable!' Melanie glared at Carly.

Carly sighed. If it were that easy … but she still felt like junk.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, morning class time

**Place:** Some math classroom at the PCA

**People:** Samantha Puckett, Fredward Benson, Melanie Pucket, Shelby Marx, other pupils (background), Mr. Morgans (later)

Freddie was shocked. he had not expected Sam to show up in Mr. Morgan's geometry classes, but there she was.

Melanie grinned. She sat next to Shelby, which forced Sam and Freddie to sit next to each other.

Sam and Freddie bickered as usual.

Mr. Morgans entered the classroom. 'OK, today, we are talking more about the representation of rotations in the three dimensional space by means of matrices.'

Sam yawned heartily.

Mr. Morgans choked. 'Er … who are you?'he asked Sam.

'Samantha Puckett, a guest student …'Sam replied.

'Oh, what do you know about matrices in three dimensions?' Mr. Morgan grinned.

Sam grabbed a marker pen and walked up to the blackboard. 'OK, the rotations around the origin are represented by so-called special orthogonal matrices who are characterised by leaving the scalar product invariant.' Sam talked on and on. This went far above Freddie's head, let alone Shelby's and Melanie's. 'This was for real dimensions. But now we turn to the three-dimensional complex vector space …'

Mr. Morgans went dizzy. Not even Quinn Pensky, his smartest pupil unto then, had been proficient in these advanced matters.

Freddie sighed bitterly. He had already used many programs that rotate things visually, but he had never come to see the hard theory behind these. But Sam? How could she? She must have been possessed by the maligned spirit of Consuela, there was no different explamnation.

Sam beamed.

Mr. Morgans sighed. 'I better go back to university … here, the students are smarter than me …'

Melanie and Shelby sighed deeply.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, 6 p.m.

**Place:** Sushi Rox

**People:** Kazu (background), Zoey Brooks, Carly Shay, Dustin Brooks (later), other pupils (background)

Carly had appeared right in time where she was appointed with Zoey Brooks, the archenemy of Spencer. She couldn't help feeling as the new Benedict Arnold. She had seen Dustin a few times during classes, but they had avoided each other. If their gazes met, they started blushing like embarrassed idiots, rendering each other dazed for several seconds. No, Carly couldn't bear that she might like the little brother of Spencer's nemesis. But there was no way she could accomplish the mission that brought her to California without talking to the only person that might know more about the whole Galloway and curse thing. It was gross, Zoey's charm notwithstanding, but it had to be.

'Carly Shay?'Zoey asked as they sat down.

Carly nodded. 'I live in 101 Brenner Hall, for this week …'

'My former dorm!' Zoey's eyes bugged out.

'I even use the bed you've used …' Carly admitted. 'But that's not the reason why …'

'Charles Galloway …' Zoey sighed. 'The curse bothers you?'

Carly nodded.

'50 years ago, he disappered into the barren wastelands, not far from here, because some mean teacher whom I hate as well has tortured him to no end. He died there, yet few people believed it. That's why my friends and I made that field trip. We found the tomb. Logan, one of them, grabbed a medallion from the tomb, as a proof, and snuck it back to the PCA. This roused a curse, and a phantasm followed us back to the school, until we noticed the culprit. Then we returned the locket, and everything seemed normal. The phantasm appeared once again, scaring the evil teacher who is now gone.'

Carly was astonished. 'OK …' She shivered. 'But what happened to your friends that made the same field trip?' Carly stammered. 'I've heard one of them. Michael, has gone psychotic or something.'

Zoey sighed and nodded. 'Yeah, I really don't like to talk about it, but you're right. He pretended to have seen some people that didn't exist and stuff. Poor Michael!'

Carly sobbed. She wasn't far from that point. 'I've also heard about some Chase Matthews …'

Zoey nodded. 'Aw Chase, we were almost boyfriend and girlfriend. But always something came between us.'

Carly sharpened her ears. 'Oh? Tell me!'

'Chase had had a crush on me since my first days, but never fessed up to it. After almost two years, he sent me an SMS, but my phone fell into the fountain due to some minor earthquake, and I didn't get to know.'

'Poor Chase!' Carly sighed. This couldn't be any accident.

Zoey nodded. 'Chase had another girlfriend, Rebecca, and she was totally evil, a demon from hell …'

Carly shuddered. This sounded so much like a curse … Consuela's revenge?

'A year later, I followed my parents to London. I would have stayed if Chase had told me, but, down to a misunderstanding, he thought I'd leave anyways and was just brash.' Zoey continued.

Carly was close to throwing up. 'Your parents live abroad?'

Zoey nodded. 'In London, I accidentally heard that Chase was tortally in love with me. Now he didn't know that I knew that I knew … and he took a plane to London. But I wanted to find out whether I loved Chase too, and I went back …'Zoey sighed deeply. 'This left me in California, and Chase in London.'

Carly was totally flabbergasted.

Zoey moaned. 'He wanted to come back after a term, and I tried to stay faithful, but … I couldn't. New pupil James was such a blond hottie …'

Carly sighed.

'I've kissed and dated James, but I had remorses and broke up right before Chase's return. James was cool with it, and he urged me not to return the gifts he had made me.' Zoey moaned. 'Then Chase came back, right for Junior Prom night. It seemed perfect, but a few days later, Chase found one of the gifts. He was so mad at me … we didn't talk for over half a year, then we could be friends again. But now I'm left without boyfriend. That sucks! And I haven't heard about Chase since my graduation.'

Carly almost pitied Zoey.

'Michael had been Chase's best friend, and when Michael had to go to the rehab, Chase suffered insanely.' Zoey almost cried. 'I couldn't help, Logan couldn't, Quinn and Lola couldn't, and being forced to share a room with James didn't help at all …'

'I know about Lola, because my friend and roomie Shelby is her cousin!' Carly remarked. 'Lola is an aspiring Hollywood star, right?'

Zoey nodded. 'True, but I haven't heard about her after graduation …'

'Shelby says that Lola's career is in a decline, but she does't know much either …' Carly sighed. 'Lola might be mad that Shelby took her boyfriend away, Vince …'

Zoey nodded. 'Yeah, Lola was totally upset.' Zoey shrugged. 'It was like a curse.'

'Alas, who is that Quinn?' Carly shrugged.

'A really smart girl, she could have become a great scientist … alas, she was engaged to Logan Reese, a totally dumb jerk, and had gone insane and dumb this way.' Zoey sighed. 'By the way, you look a lot like Quinn's ex-rival Paige Howard, a girl that had won the national science fair and was accepted into college at the age of twelve. Quinn envied her.'

Carly shrugged. 'Never heard …'

'Noone has ever heard of her again …'Zoey sighed.

Carly was again flabbergasted. That must have been Consuela's devastating revenge. 'But what did that leave Logan with?'

'Jerkan Reese did what he excels at … hitting on more and more girls. He is now sort of a male model and is going to live with a female model named Vivienne[4:1], another cousin of Lola. He never loved Quinn, he just abused her.'

Carly shuddered with disgust.

Zoey sighed. 'After listening to myself, I now understand whyb you and your friends are intimidaded and think of some curse. Yeah, the thing with Charles Galloway lead to a curse, but we've thought it broken when the locket was returned to the tomb.' She banged her head. 'But it was probably neither the beginning nor the end of the curse.'

'And Halloween is the perfect day for curses to show up again …'

Carly shivered with dismay.

'As your surname is Shay …'Zoey choked. 'Are you related to that Shay guy that also tries out for the position as an adviser?'

Carly coughed. 'Spencer is my elder brother and guardian … dad works abroad for the Air Force.'

Zoey sighed. 'Then you must be very close.'

Carly sighed.

'I've got a little brother, well, no longer that little, Dustin, you might know him …' Zoey continued.

Carly blushed.

'Whatever, it wasn't easy with him, but I miss him a lot now that I'm done with school. That's why I've applied for the position as an adviser.'

Carly choked. 'I've got remorses for talking to you as you're Spencer's worst rival.'

Zoey chuckled. 'I don't even know him, except that he seems to be nice and gifted. He will sure be a great adviser.'

'Don't they prefer alumni?' Carly wondered.

'They do.' Zoey nodded. 'But that doesn't mean that they have to turn down a good canditate just for that.'

Carly understood that it made not too much sense being mad at Zoey just because she wanted to be closer to Dustin. She expected the same from Spencer, and she would have gone insane if she hadn't had him close during the last four years.

'OK, Dustin should arrive soon.' Zoey announced. She took her backpack. 'I make fashionable accessories. It has been just a hobby, but Dustin has the fixed idea of selling those things off on the internet. And he said that one particularly cool client is coming tonight in person. So I've made a collection of new socks.' Zoey unzipped a compartment of the backpack.

Carly had blushed again when she heard Zoy talk about Dustin. Then she looked at the socks. 'Wow!' She was dumbfounded. Those socks looked a lot like those that Spencer liked to wear. How was that possible?

And along came Dustin Brooks. 'Zoey!' dustin squealed before hugging the hell out of his sister.

'Hi baby!' Zoey grinned. 'OK, carly, this is Dustin …'

Carly and Dustin looked at each other with consternation. They blushed a deep shade of crimson, then they almost passed out.

'Carly? Dustin?' Zoey wonderd. 'What's going on here?'

Dustin woke up, but he was dizzy. How would he explain Zoey that Carly makes him always feel all warm and fuzzy? 'Oh, nothing!'

Zoey shrugged. 'OK, so … here's the stuff you need for your best customer.'

Carly regained her attitude. 'OK, I've got to go …' The skin was still all crimson.

Zoey waved at Carly. 'We will see us at the Halloween party!'

Carly chuckled and snuck away. Wasn't Spencer appointred with Socko? At 8 p.m. here at Kazu's? If Dustin was the guy behind Socko, … Carly so wanted to snoop … she looked for a suitable place to hide. Some bonzai stack looked suitable.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, 8 p.m.

**Place:** Sushi Rox

**People:** Kazu (background), Dustin Brooks, Spencer Shay, Carly Shay (initially hidden), Megan Parker (initially hidden), Nevel Papperman (initially hidden), other pupils (background)

Spencer arrived at Sushi Rox, right in time. He ordered California rolls and looked around. We was looking out for a picture of a single multicoloured sock which would identify Socko. And there it was. Spencer looked at the teenage boy whom he remembered vaguely from the trial session of the sculpting club. 'It's damn' hot for October!'

Dustin replied. 'You should have been here this August!'

These were the passwords that they had agreed on when they phoned with each other.

Spencer sat down next to Dustin and shook his hand.

'Dustin Brooks …' Dustin whispered.

'Spencer Shay …' Spencer replied.

'I know!' Dustin beamed. 'I've seen you on iCarly DOT com.'

Spencer choked. He had not been aware that Carly's show had made him already that famous.

Dustin sighed. 'Well, here are the socks … and a backpack, spectacles, boxers, gloves … My sister has worked hard on these!'

Socko beamed. 'OK … 500 bucks?'

Dustin choked. He had never wanted that much. 'Dunno … Carly wouldn't want you to spend that much … 200 should do it.'

Spencer shrugged. 'Right. So you seem to be a real fan of Carly's show?'

Dustin blushed while he grabbed the money.

'Uhm, Dustin?' Spencer was worried. 'Dustin? Dustin?'

Carly had been hidden behind the bonzai trees, but now she showed up. She had seen enough. Alas, her blushing problem was still there.

'Carly, what the …' Spencer was flabbergasted. 'Have you been hiding all time?'

Carly sighed ruefully. 'I couldn't help it … while meeting Zoey, I've seen that she makes fashionable stuff like the one you always wear. Curiosity killed the cat …'

'Not if the cat hides well enough under some fashionable mask!' Spencer chuckled.

Dustin blushed deeply and hadn't said anything since Carly's revelation. 'Carly …'

Spencer choked. 'What's going on between the two of you?' He asked sternly.

'Nothing!' Carly and Dustin boomed unison.

Alas, Spencer wasn't that dumb. He was well aware of many tweenie boys that are regular viewers of iCarly having a crush on his little sister. Dustin was evidently on of them, but his innocent looks and restrained attitude made Carly like him secretly back, although it was considered uncool for a girl to like a younger boy. Spencer zipped his bag with socks and other stuff shut. 'See you soon again!' He stood up and waved. He hoped carly to fes up, because he knew that Dustin was not able to disappoint Carly as bad boys like Griffin, or freaks like Shane, or rakes like Jake did. Alas, it was none of his business. He hugged mentally absent Carly. 'See you Friday night!' He walked away slowly, because he did not want to miss out on anything that might still happen.

Suddenly, an oboe sounded from another corner of the bar.

Carly remembered that Megan was one passionate and gifted oboe players.

A piano backed up the oboe. The sound of Ravel's _Boléro_ went trembling through the ground.

Carly looked at Dustin.

Dustin glared back. He couldn't resist any longer. Without knowing what was going on, he grabbed flabbergasted Carly, and the two of them started dancing to the tune.

Carly smiled. She could help it either. She only listened to he own and Dustin's heartbeat who foolowed the rhythm of the music.

Spencer's eyes bugged out, and so did those of many bypassing visitors of the pub.

After a few minurtes, the music ceased and the musicians unveiled themselves.

Carly had been right - the oboe was Megan's. But the pianist - it was … 'Nevel!' She was consternated.

Nevel and Megan high-fived.

'Well done, sweetie!' Nevel told Megan.

'That was perfect, honeycake!' Megan smiled at Nevel.

Carly coughed and choked … Nevel and Megan were a couple, and she had not known about it? But OK, her cousin was free to love whom she wanted to …

Spencer smiled. 'So, what about Dustin and you?'

'Erm …' Dustin and Carly were still a bit dizzy. But they decided to give it a try, at least for the last few days that Carly was left to stay in California.

'You've planned this?' Spencer asked Megan.

'Did we?' Megan whistled innocently. Then she whispered some stuff into Spencer's ears, confirming that she was behind the whole thing.

Nevel grinned diabolically.

Carly shrugged. Maybe it was going well, regardless of how many people deemed it uncool to like a younger boy. But today, Carly was too tired to think about it. 'See you tomorrow, Dustin!'She smiled and waved before walking out on the pub.

Dustin smiled and waved back.

* * *

**Chapter 5 En Garde!**

* * *

**Time:** Last Thursday of October, Breakfast

**Place:** Cafeteria of the PCA

**People:** Carly Shay, Fredward Benson, Shelby Marx, Melanie Puckett, Sonya (background)

The kids were sitting at a table.

Carly sighed. 'Sam skips breakfast. She has to read a few books about political science.'

Freddie moaned. 'She knows more about geometry than our teacher. And she hasn't even watched geometry channel!'

Melanie sighed. 'Not even I went out of my way by miles when I started trying to impress Zoey …'

Carly shrugged. 'I need to fetch some blueberry muffins for Sam.' She waved at Sony.

Freddie sighed. 'I need to hurry for I have to show Ashley some moves …' He shuddered with agony.

'Ashley Blake?' Carly moaned. 'But she treats you like dirt. Why do you still …'

Freddie sobbed. 'She pays well … I may keep all the green gummi worms and caramels that she gets on Halloween.' He sighed. 'Mom only grants me sugar-free candy. I hate that …' He shuddered with dismay.

'The green ones?' Carly didn't think that made much sense.

Melanie chuckled. 'Ashley is very spoiled and picky. She hates green gummi worms.'

Carly shrugged. 'What a wench … oh, I forgot, I'm almost done with my report for the admission folder. It's due tomorrow … I will still add today's English lessons and psychology. That should be a hell of a report …' She smiled.

'If Spencer gets the job …' Melanie shrugged.

Carly moaned. 'Oh yeah, but the competition is very hard.'

'Is it true that you have a crush on the little brother of Spencer's worst enemy, Benedict?' Freddie asked Carly grudgingly.

Carly grumbled. 'Hey! Just having decided to try out for the same thing, it doesn't make them enemies!'

Freddie knew that, but he didn't care as his motivation was jealousy. 'And so? This doesn't give you the permit to dance with that Brooks baby!'

'He ain't a baby anymore!' Melanie protested.

'Oh really?' Freddie bellowed. 'So why don't you give him another chance?'

Shelby intervened. 'Freddie, it's time for the fencing lessons …'

'Yeah, go to your sweet little diva!' Carly moaned sarcastically.

Freddie stood up. 'She isn't my sweetie!' He walked out on his friends.

Carly sighed. 'I still can't believe that Megan and Nevel are a couple.' Carly croaked. 'Did you know that?'

Shelby shrugged. 'There have been rumors …'

Melanie chuckled and whistled innocently.

Carly felt backstabbed. 'Do you mean you knew it all the time?'

Melanie smiled silently.

'So who's the traitor?' Carly bellowed.

Shelby grabbed Carly, trying to calm her.

'Maybe it was you who made Megan set me up with Dustin?' Carly bellowed.

'Maybe I did …' Melanie chuckled.

'Awe you …' Carly groaned. Melanie wasn't that much different from her twin sister, after all. 'Certain tigers don't change their stripe.' Alas, if the thing with Dustin worked well, she didn't have a reason to complain.

'Tigers are just big cats …' Shelby chuckled. 'I love _Eye of the Tiger_[5:1].'

Carly shrugged. 'Little wonder, you're a scratching fury masked as an all-sweet-and-innocent-looking girl!'

* * *

**Place:** 108 Butler Hall

**People:** Ashley Blake, Fredward Benson, Wendy, Megan Parker

Freddie stumbled Ashley's dorm.

Megan was upset. 'Ashley has ruined my pillow, but she has also ruined Mr. Puff Puff!'

Freddie choked. 'Sorry, who is Mr. Puff Puff?'

Wendy snickered. 'Megan's plush pet!'

Megan looked grumpily. 'A gift from Josh! He has used it for years, and he gave it to me when he dropped me here for the first time.' She sobbed. 'He will be very very sad!'

'OK, today we will practice without rapier.' Freddie suggested. 'And did you really manipulate Carly and Dustin to …'

Megan nodded, making Freddie glare viciously. 'I know what is good for Carly! Certainly not a freak who tries to blackmail her into kissing and hugging.' It seemed like lightning bolts shooting forth from her eyes.

'What?' Freddie shuddered. 'Carly always wanted me!'

'Dream on!' Megan bellowed. 'Anyways, I've got to go and meet Nevel in the lounge.' Megan walked out.

Smoke billowed forth from Freddie's capital orifices.

Ashley ignored Freddie's suggestion and grabbed her rapier.

'Hey, your wrists are too stiff …' Freddie complained. 'Be more flexible!' He touched Ashley's wrist carefully in an attempt to correct her.

'Don't touch me!' Ashely bellowed. 'I'm a celebrity!'

Freddie groaned. That wasn't going anywhere.

Wendy looked oddly at Freddie. She wasn't allowed to touch Ashley, either, and she commanded Freddie brashly to add him self to the end of the queue instead of sneaking recklessly into the pole position.

Freddie pouted, but he had no other choice. The prospect of the green caramels was just too tempting.

Ashley swang the rapier, crashing Wendy's table lamp.

Wendy just shrugged. She considered it a necessary sacrifice.

Megan returned. 'What the heck … OK, maybe it works better with some music.' She unzipped her oboe's scabbard. 'Toréador en guarde!'[5:2].

'Lame!' Ashley judged, cold as ice.

Wendy nodded. 'We need someone that rocks and shocks, such as …'

'Such as whom?' Freddie needed to know.

Megan sighed deeply. 'OK, I've tried to hide it from those pupils who didn't know me before I came to this school, but now I have to unveal my dark, hidden secret.' She choked with embarrassment. 'There's only one musician in California who really rocks, and he's my elder blood brother.'

Freddie coughed. 'Parker … you're the sister of Drake?' Freddie was consternated and slumped on Ashley's bed.

Ashley threw a disapproving glance at Freddie.

'Not so loud!' Megan whispered to Freddie. 'For one thing, it's embarrassing enough to be the sister of such a jerk. And even more, if everyone knows, most girls will panic and annoy me to death because they want a date with Drake!'

Freddie's jaw dropped. Drake was his great idol. He knew that he was Sam's idol even more. Yet Carly has never told him or Sam that Drake Parker was her cousin! How could she hide that fantastic secret!

Megan sighed. 'I hate to do it, but I have to sneak Drake into the PCA, this weekend or earlier. But we need to minimise the panic that will inevitably seize the school.'

Wendy grinned. 'A few years ago, I suffered fron Obsession-with-Drake-Parker disorder … I've calmed down …' 'Just to suffer from Obsession-with-Ashley-Blake disorder …'Megan remarked astutely.

Wendy pouted.

Megan pushed the buttons of her cellular phone.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, great break time

**Place:** Lounge of Brenner Hall

**People:** Dustin Shay, Carly Shay, many other pupils (background)

'Hi Dustin!' Carly smiled when she saw her fan number one.

'Carly!' Dustin sighed. 'Sorry for the thing last night … Megan and Melanie have talked me into it …'

Carly chuckled. 'I know how cunning my cousin can be … and I'd have to be sorry for hiding behind the Japanese mini trees …'

Dustin nodded. 'THinking of it, it was cool …'

'Oh, really?' Carly smiled. 'Well, I was so terribly curious where Spencer's socks are from. And when I've gathered a few hints, I felt compelled to do that.'

Dustin grinned. 'Your bro is cool!'

Carly chuckled. 'I had no idea who was behind all those socks and ties and penny tees.'

Dustin shrugged. 'No idea why Spencer tried to keep it a secret. Then again, I've never said that my sis Zoey makes those accessories.'

Carly sighed. 'Too bad they have to compete for that job here … I've already felt a traitor for talking to Zoey …'

Dustin sobbed. 'Uhmm … Zoey … did she try to dissuade you from talking to me, as she usually does?'

Carly coughed. 'My meeting with Zoey had a whole different reason. I don't know what she thinks about us, but she wasn't immediately upset when she had seen the clues …' Dustin shrugged.

'Well,' Carly continued, 'The real reason for my meeting with Zoey, hell, the reason why I came to the PCA for a trial … it is …' Carly moaned. 'Melanie Pucket, or Trisha Kirby, as you may know her, is afraid of strange things going on here … Zoey was a member of the field trip to Redstone Gulch, and stuff …'

'You mean … we are cursed?' Dustin coughed. 'Doomed?' He shivered. 'True, the thing with Galloway can't be an accident.'

'I try to figure.' Carly shrugged.

Dustin scratched his head. 'Would you like to watch a movie with me?' He blushed. 'And Freddie and Sam should come, too!'

'Sure! Why not?' Carly beamed. 'If Freddie and Sam are interested … What do we want to watch?'

'They show _Jerk in the Fountain_ [5:3]by Malcolm Reese.' Dustin beamed.

'Cool! I like that!' Carly grinned.

'7 p.m. at the campus cinema?'

Carly nodded solemnly.

The bell rang, and the kids had to return to their classes.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, after classes

**Place:** 101 Brenner Hall

**People:** Carly Shay, Samantha Puckett, Shelby Marx, Melanie Puckett, Dustin Brooks (later)

'Do you want to come to the cinema with me and Dustin?'Carly asked Sam.

'No way!' Sam moaned. 'I've got to finish my reports about the classes of this week.'

Carly shrugged. 'OK … I'm now going to ask Freddie whether …'

'NO chance!' Shelby chuckled. 'Freddie is busy!'

'With the fencing thing?' Carly wondered.

Shelby nodded. 'And he doesn't want anyone to bother him.'

'If it's fencing what they do …' Carly chuckled.

'You don't think that …' Sam was consternated. 'Dorkward and Ashley?'

Carly shrugged. 'She treats him like dirt, but maybe Freddie likes exactly that?'

'Fredweird is gaga!' Sam concluded.

Melanie glared oddly at Sam. 'Do you know what people say about girls constantly picking on the same guy?'

Sam coughed.

'Sam is just hiding her kitten-like affection for Freddie under a warrior's mask!' Melanie grinned.

'I'm not!' Sam groaned.

Dustin bounded in.

Sam and Melanie stopped arguing.

'Hi girls!' Dustin smiled. 'Will Freddie and Sam …'

Melanie shook her head. 'They are busy.' She sighed.

Shelby refused as well.

Carly coughed. 'OK, that's just me and Dustin.' She shrugged.

Like Carly, Dustin would have preferred going with a group of friends, because they couldn't stand the cliché-based rumours.

Carly scratched her chin. 'Melanie, so Megan and you have worked together on matching me with Dustin?'

Melanie went pale. 'OK. See, when I was no longer the bad girl, I've hoped toget Dustin back, for he was my only ex who was not a jerk.'

Carly smiled.

'But by then, your show started here. The middle school kids were addicted to it, but Dustin was so …'

Dustin blushed.

'Dustin didn't have a crush on you as many others did, he adored you with heart and soul.' Melanie sighed. 'As I still wanted to do something good to Dustin, given that I've caused him a bunch of troubles earlier on, I've thought about helping Dustin to meet you. I've pitied him so much.'

Dustin was like petrified.

Carly sighed. Sure, many fanboys would have died for meeting her. But the heart and soul thing? 'Aw Dustin, how sweet!'

'But even as Sam's sister this wasn't easy. I wanted to talk to you right away, but then Freddie was in the way, and confused me with Sam and stuff, as you know.'

Carly nodded.

'When Megan came to this school, I've figured fast that you're related, and tried to use Megan's cunning to make it happen.' Melanie admitted. 'Megan agreed because she knew what is good for you.'

'Aw Megan!' Carly was flabbergasted. 'But she was probably right. Dustin, what do you have to say?'

Dustin could hardly talk. He stammered. 'All I can say is … I love you, Carly.'

Carly purred. 'I love you too. And now let's go!'

Dustin sighed with relief. He took Carly's hand, and they walked over to the cinema.

Melanie and Shelby sighed. They were happy that melanie's plan had come to a good end.

Sam shook her head. 'But Carly and Dustin haven't even kissed!'

Shelby shrugged. 'Maybe they don't need that?'

Melanie nodded. 'I've gone through so many kisses without love. True affection doesn't need under the mask of physical actions.'

* * *

**Place:** 108 Butler Hall

**People:** Ashley Blake, Wendy, Fredward Benson, Megan Parker (later), Drake Parker (later)

Freddie was desperate. Ashley had already destroyed most of of the furniture and the wardrobe of her mates with her rapier.

'Megan should be here any moment …' Wendy remarked. 'Followed by you know who …'

Freddie hoped that this was as true as can be. Drake Parker was his last hope. Alas, it was going to be hard for him toi stay modest, given that he was a great fan of Drake.

The door went open, and Megan stumbled in. 'OK, the booby cat is here!' Megan grinned. Booby cat was their code name for Drake.

A masked guy entered the dorm. 'Hi girls, hi …'

'Fredward Benson!' Freddie introduced himself.

Drake grinned. Then he removed his colourful warrior mask. 'Phew! It was hot!' Drake moaned. 'But I couldn't let the broad mass of girls know that I'm here, I wouldn't have made it hereto!'

Wendy huggled Drake.

'Oh Wendy!' Drake smiled. 'So … Ashley needs some guitar backup for her fencing training?'

Megan nodded solemnly. 'Otherwise she destroys more stuff in here before she lears to handle the rapier with elegance.'

Drake sat down and unpacked his guitar. 'The song is old, but should do it. AShley, think that you're in the arena, and a wild bull is hunting you …'

'I'm a diva!' Ashley moaned. 'I don't think. Wendy, think what Drake has just said.'

Wendy smiled and imagined the situation.

Drake smiled and clamped his guitar, striking the chords and singing a song. [5:4]

* * *

Take me to the Matador  
he will know just what it's for  
he will help me with my life  
he will open every door  
when the bull is in the ring  
you need all the help you can  
and the Mariachis sing  
with the lonely mandoline  
see those people shout out loud  
give me more and give me more  
and I'm thinking to myself  
take me to the Matador

* * *

Ashley grinned. She imagined all the applause she was going to get. 'Cool! En garde!'

* * *

Take me to the Matador  
he will fill and ease my soul  
he will give me confidence  
when I think I've lost control  
he will help me with my muse  
in the age of win and lose  
with the ancient cup and sword  
and the Californian lords  
see one thousand violins,  
Megan's oboe soars on high  
waves and waves of joyful hymns  
silver sonnets reach the sky

* * *

Ashley swang her rapier with some hitherto unbeknownst elegance. Freddie applauded. 'Perfect! It's like my great-grandpa, the fencing Benson!'

Megan whistled appreciatively and hugged Drake. 'Thanks for everything!'

Wendy sighed with relief. 'Ashley is the best actress, ever!'

Freddie high-fived with the girls.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, 7 p.m.

**Place:** The cinema on the campus of the Pacific Coast Academy

**People:** Carly Shay, Dustin Brooks, many other students(background)

With a box full of popcorn and a smoothie in their hands, Dustin and Carly sat down.

'I really like the popcorn here.' Carly grinned when she fingered in the popcorn container. 'It tastes so … poppy!'

'Cool!' Dustin grinned.

So, you've liked me from the very start of my web show?

Dustin scratched his chin. 'The first one I've seen were when that sneezing freak spoilt everything.' He remembered.

'Jeremy?' Carly. wondered. 'Fortunately, he was just a sub for Freddie …'

Dustin nodded. 'Freddie was cool. First, I've thought that you were a couple.'

Carly snickered. 'He can be nice, but he's really obnoxious about stuff like kissing.' Carly shuddered with outright disgust.

'Alas, now I think that Freddie is better off with Sam,' Dustin admitted.

'With Sam?' Carly chuckled. 'They are always bickering, but I know what you mean. I often enough feel like a third bicycle wheel with them. No way, dorkward! Yes way! Want to bet? Sure, do you, fredweird? Sure! The usual? The usual!' Carly gagged. 'That's plain anoying! They are perfect sadomasochists, both of them.'

Dustin chuckled.

'So …' Carly wondered whether Dustin had already submitted anything to the show.

Dustin nodded. 'A few times, but only one thing made it into the show, and I was too much of a chicken to submit it myself, hence I've asked Chase to do it for me.'

'Oh?' Carly coughed. Chase Matthews … again. 'Tell me!'

'Well, see, Chase had once looked at Zoey's tongue, and he had remarked that she had a small tongue.' Dustin choked. 'So, I've wondered what your tongue looked like …' Dustin blushed.

'Oh, yeah, that thing …' Carly remembered. 'So, what is my tongue like?'

'Warm, soft, pink, and smooth!' Dustin smiled.

'Thanks!' Carly grinned.

The movie started becoming funny. Carly and Dustin laughed a lot.

'Was Melanie, er Trisha, your first date?' Carly wondered.

Dustin nodded. 'It was a mistake, I was much too young, and Trisha wasn't exactly a good neighbourhood girl …'

Carly nodded. 'Yeah, if I didn't know her twin sister, it'd be so hard for me to believe that Melanie was like that …'

Dustin nodded. 'After that, I had a one-day crush on Wendy.[5:5]'

'Megan's roomie?' Carly wondered.

Dustin nodded solemnly. 'But she had only eyes for Drake Parker. She was so obsessed.'

Carly went pale. 'Oh, Dustin, I have to tell you something … but keep it secret …' She sighed. 'Drake is my cousin!'

'I should have known it!' Dustin moaned. 'Megan was always so evasive when …'

Carly nodded. 'She's embarrassed by that. I don't like to get bothered by people for that, either. Not even Freddie and Sam know that we're related … Sam would kill for a date with him!'

'Most girls would …' Dustin sighed. 'Well, then I had Sandy Baldwin[5:6]. She was a nice neighbourhood girl, quite according to Zoey's taste. But she bored me.'

Carly chuckled. 'Yeah, that's the downside. Grandpa would have wanted me to become exactly like that, but, fortunately, Spencer prevented me from turning into one …'

'Then there was Carie Velazquez.[5:7]' Dustin admitted. 'But she was just an excuse for me to stay in America. Really, I didn't want to go to England because of the weather and - even worse - the English kitchen.'

'I can understand that … I like the food here most. And the sun and the beach …' Carly sighed. 'OK, my first date was Ben Hoopsher[5:8]…' She saw Dustin chuckle. 'Funny name, but such a jerk … then there was Jake Crendle, he was also in our show before you started watching it. A tall blond rake … but he preferred busty blondes.'

'Tall blond rake …' Dustin chuckled. 'Zoey once fell for one of those, his name was James Garrett.' Dustin sighed. If hwe had seen that episode, he would have known that James and Jake looked totally alike.

'Then I dated a really bad boy named Griiffin.' Carly sighed with rue. 'Spencer hated him and tried to dissuade me from it. Now I know how wrong it was …'

Dustin nodded. 'Sometimes it's better to listen to elder siblings!' Carly smiled.

The movie required all of their attention, preventing them from talking even more..

* * *

**Chapter 6 Moving Out Again**

* * *

**Time:** Last Friday of October, before breakfast

**Place:** 101 Brenner Hall

**People:** Carly Shay, Samantha Puckett, Shelby Marx, Coco Wexler (later)

Carly woke up before her roomies. She had to care for her luggage.

It had been the last night of the kids in their dorms. After the classes, Spencer was expected to arrive at PCA and fetch them. They were spending a night with Spencer in his suite, then they were going to visit the campus for the Halloween party before returning to Seattle.

Carly yawned. She was sad. If Spencer got accepted as an adviser, Dustin would see his sister less often, and he apparently clang to her as much as she did cling to Spencer. If Zoey got accepted, Spencer was going to stay in Seattle. Then Carly would not have wanted to go to the PCA, either, and she wouldn't see Dustin again. If Josh or Stacey … yuck! Carly couldn't bear that thought, either.

Sam yawned heartily.

Carly told sam to start getting her belongings together.

'No way!' Sam yawned again and continued sleeping.

Shelby woke up, down to Sam's gross yawning attacks. 'Do you need help with your luggage?'

Cary sighed. 'Thanks, but I believe that I can do on my own.' Carly's voice betrayed her sadness.

'The upcoming separation from Dustin makes you sad?' Shelby guessed.

Carly nodded.

'But you will still be joint together in your hearts …' Shelby tried to brighten Carly's mood.

Carly sobbed. 'And what if my report was really bad? Or Freddie's or Sam's? Ashley must have stripped Freddie of all his nerves …'

Shelby nodded. 'Ashley may be really enervating.'

'And I have failed to help Melanie effectively. All I was able to is finding more and more hints indicating a hidden curse. The ship of Chase and Zoey was cursed from the very get on. Chase, Logan, Michael, Lola, and Quinn all fell prey to some hidden malediction which I don't understand. And then James … that blond tall rake that seduced Zoey … I wouldn't wonder if it was the evil twin of Jake Crendle.' Carly sobbed piteously.

Shelby chuckled. She opened the door in order to go to the toilets.

Coco Wexler stood in the door. 'Ms. Shay, you have to sign this sheet!'

Carly nodded. 'OK …'

'Hey! Where's my half-empty can of ravioli?'Coco bellowed.

'Who knows?' Sam burped. 'Oh, look, what's that … an empty can …' Sam burped again.

* * *

**Place:** 148 Maxwell Hall

**People:** Fredward Benson

Freddie yawned. He had spent four nights straight in that deserted, haunted dormitory room. No ghost had bothered him, but he had never felt at ease. NIght after night, he was haunted by the imaginary faces of those who had resided in that room before him: Chase Bartholomew Matthews, Logan Reese, Michael Barret, James Garrett. Maybe the curse only affectsed people with some delay? No. the bad feeling he got from thinking about his forerunners' destiny already gave Freddie the goose pimples. He grabbed his belongings together, leaving nothing behind. He hoped to be able to scratch that room from his memory for good.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, right after lunch

**Place:** Office of Dean Rivers

**People:** Carly Shay, Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Dean Rivers, Secretary Beverly (background)

Carly, Freddie, and Sam had just rendered a folder unto Dean Rivers.

The headmaster opened Carly's folder. 'Looks nice, Ms. Shay.' He nodded. 'As for the other: The decision will be made next week, and you will receuive a written answer within the next ten days.'

Carly sighed. She didn't know what she wanted the teachers and Dean Rivers to decide.

'Do you know that I've been at college with your father?' Dean Rivers remarked.

'No!' Carly was astonished. 'Really?'

Dean Rivers nodded. 'Those were the days … Vietnam war was over, and it was hard to get a decent college place because the veterans were all preferred. You had to be lucky to catch a vacancy that a deceased applicant had left …'

Carly shuddered with disgust.

Sam yawned.

'Ms. Puckett!' Dean Rivers was dismayed. 'Your behaviour is in no way related to the efforts and endeavou that you must have exhibited when preparing your folder.'

Sam grinned. 'Oh, really?'

Dean Rivers showed the folder to Carly and Freddie. 'Here. This is what I expect from our students! Unfortunately, your generation is usually a bunch of lazy never-do-wells. You all should look up to Sam! Sixty pages of reasons why she wants to come to the PCA: high discipline, academic standards, sports, music … you play the trombone, that's really great … Quinn Pensky has left a gap in the school's choir I've thought impossible to fill!'

Carly and Freddie coughed.

Dean Rivers looked at Freddie's report. 'Not too bad … let's see whether it impresses Mr. Bender, the responsible teacher for new admissions.'

Freddie was disappointed because Sam had impressed the Dean more than he had.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, two hours later

**Place:** Parking site of the campus of the Pacific Coast Academy

**People:** Carly Shay, Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Joshuah Nichols, Megan Parker, Melanie Pucket, Shelby Marx, other pupils (background)

Josh had halted his craft down by the parking lot. He was going to take Carly, Freddie, and Sam to Spencer's hotel, and then go on a shopping trip with Megan.

Melanie and Shelby had helped Sam with her luggage. Now they wanted to say goodbye to them. Fortunately, the kids were going to return for the Halloween party. Alas, the anticipation of what was not unlikely to happen was giving them utterly the creeps.

Carly hugged her friends. 'OK, see you tomorrow. Alas, Megan, how could you fall for Nevel? After all the things he did to me?' She sighed deeply.

Megan grinned. 'Uhmmm … see, reight before Nevel heard about iCarlyDOTcom, he had a dream where he was going to be the prophet of the things long gone by and the things to come. And I was his prophet. Now he didn't know us, and we look alike. So, when he saw you first …'

Carly banged her head against the door of Josh's car. 'Dang! How could that happen? So it was all but a terrible misunderstanding?'

Megan nodded solemnly. 'Nevel was ahell of confused. And you just picked on him!' Megan was particularly annoyed by Freddie and Sam and gazed at them in a witch-like manner.

Freddie and Sam hid between the cars, ducking low.

Carly lowered her head in shame. 'I was such an idiot!'

Melanie shrugged. 'Not as much as Sam and Freddie!'

Josh told the kids to take seat.

Carly, Freddie, and Sam disappeared in the car.

Josh started the engines, and off they went.

* * *

**Time:** Same day, 5 p.m.

**Place:** Spencer's suite in Hotel Chambrolay

**People:** Carly Shay, Spencer Shay, Samantha Puckett, Fredward Benson

Finally, the kids had returned to the suite.

Spencer hugged them all. 'I've missed you so much. But tomorrow, let's rock at the Halloween party!' He beamed. 'My punpkin arts rocks!'

Carly chuckled. She saw Spencer holding a little box or chest in his hands. 'What's that?' she wondered.

'What's what?' Spencer whistled innocently when he hid the box behind his back.

Carly pointed at the box.

'Don't even dare to touch it!' Spencer boomed.

Carly shrugged. OK! She sighed deeply.

'And you really don't want to go to the Pacific Coast Academy even if I don't get the job?' Spencer wondered. 'That Brooks guy notwithstanding?'

Carly sighed. 'It's so hard … but Dustuin and I, we could love us even if we were in different galaxies.' She swooned ecstatically.

Spencer beamed. 'Hi, the videotheque of the hotel has got several issues of 'citetiteleGalaxy Wars, including a special that I haven't yet seen!'

Freddie insisted in watching it.

Sam was disgusted both by the space opera talk and Carly's strange understanding of love. She couldn't imagine love without making out.

Carly sighed. 'I've tried to be cool most of my life, but I wasn't myself. With Dustin, I can be myself, regardless of whether it's cool or not.'

Sam shrugged. 'I can only be myself with pork chops.'

Freddie moaned.

'Hey! I haven't eaten in two hours!' Sam announced to be off to the Hotel snack booth. 'And for what it's worth, I'm going to accept an invitation to the Pacific Coast Academy even if you guys don't come!'

Carly and Freddie looked consternated.

'The campus serves the best food ever: Sonya, Kazu's Sushi Rox, Calvin's[6:1] coffee cart, …' Sam moaned, 'and I don't let anyone dissuade me from that!'

Freddie, Carly, and Spencer were flabbergasted. Alas, now they understood Sam's sudden efforts. And both Carly and Freddie had already thought that Sam had been hit by a particularly mischievous form of Consuela's base curse. But OK, if Sam wanted to … there were only two things that could motivate Sam: food and the prospects of torturing freaks. The food at the PCA was excellent, and there were many boys at least as freaky as Freddie or Gibby.

Spencer moaned. 'Carly, if you want to go to the PCA, be it for Sam for Dustin, I may try to find another job in the greater area of Los Angeles, so we'll still eb somewhat close.'

Freddie grumbled. 'Traitors!' He was just jealous and couldn't bear Carly anywhere near Dustin, or any other boy he might lose her unto.

Spencer looked at his junior partner. 'Freddie! What's going on?'

Freddie started weeping.

Spencer understood what was going on. 'OK, Freddie, you've known that Carly and you would be a catastrophic mixture for you are a tech freak, while Carly likes people more than tech. It would be like me dating girls that don't appreciate my sculpting skills …' Spencer shuddered with disgust.

Freddie's head dropped in shame.

'Sorry that I had to be that harsh.' Spencer sighed with rue. He didn't want to hurt Fredie's feelings, but it was really annoying that Freddie clang to Carly like a barnickle.

'Freddie has now got that Ashley brat!' Sam moaned.

'No, I don't!' Freddie protested aloud.

'You've called her incredibly hot!' Sam squealed sadistically.

Carly remarked that Ashley Blake had always treated Freddie like dirt.

'And why are you licking her boots?' Sam boomed sadistically.

Freddie pouted. 'For the Halloween candy! It's cool and fun to hang out with her when she's going to trick-or-treat the hell out of dummb teachers! And she is hot, especially in her fencing suit, but Carly is hotter! She deserves definitely something better, like another superstar.'

Carly chuckled noisily.

'Whatever!' Sam shrugged with disbelief.

Freddie was still sad. 'So you've just abused me all the time as your tech slave?' He asked Carly.

'Or you may say it like this …' Carly grinned. 'But why call it abuse? I've always paid you back by sticking up for you.'

Freddie banged his head against the wall.

'I've always told you, Dorkward!' Sam bellowed. 'See, when she needed you to fix Jake's voice, … and so on.'

Freddie glared viciously at Sam. But maybe the situation wasn't that bad. As a tech freak, he was useful for many pupils, not just for Carly. Each of them appreciated what he did for them, as they depended vitally on him. Only Sam had refused to acknowledge it, but Sam was Sam, so what should one expect. Was Sam really what she seemed to be? Maybe not. She could be a real tech freak, as she knew the significance of many of the acronyms most tech freaks just use without thinking about it, such as MPEG, GIF, XML, CSS, HTTP, and stuff like that. Thus Sam must have been able to hide a lot of her technical knowledge. But nothing hidden will remain unavenged … He sighed with relief. Sam was just a closet tech wiz, and Freddie chuckled as he could use it against her from now on, whenever he wanted to.

Carly still wondered what was hidden in the little box that Spencer tried to keep secret. She would have liked to sneak in and steal it over night, but maybe it set on fire upon contact … Spencer was totally pyromaniac. Hence she decided to let it be. It was sure going to be one big surprise soon to be reveiled …

Spencer sighed. He was going to miss California upon his return to Seattle.

* * *

**Chapter 7 Halloween Party**

* * *

**Time:** Halloween, early afternoon

**Place:** Campus of the PCA, near the fountain

**People:** Carly Shay, Fredward Benson, Samantha Puckett, Spencer Shay, Shelby Marx(later), Melanie Puckett(later), Ashley Blake(later), Wendy(later), Dustin Brooks (later), Robby Carmichael (later), Megan Parker (later), Drake Parker (later), Nevel Papperman (later), Josh Nichols (later), Zoey Brooks (later), Dean Rivers (later), Stacey Dillsen (later), many other pupils (background),

The kids sighed when they had exited Spencer's car.

Spencer shrugged. 'Dean Rivers will announce his decision at the Halloween party …'

'Whatever …' Carly didn't know what she wished the headmaster to decide. It was something like …

Robby Carmichael and Dustin Brooks showed up and waved to Carly, Spencer, Sam, and Freddie.

Carly hugged Dustin. 'Will Zoey come, too?'

Dustin nodded. 'She should be here any moment.'

Spencer whistled innocently when Carly talked about Zoey. He held the same little box in his hand, much tighter than before, almost spasmodically.

Carly glared at Spencer, but he didn't answer.

Sam and Freddie shrugged.

'I've heard you've been in Fred's treehouse?[7:1]'

Sam nodded. 'He's just a freak.'

'I've got a treehouse, too!' Robby grinned.

Sam shrugged.

'You have to be much faster, boob!' Megan's voice boomed from beyond a crowd of pupils.

Carly looked around. 'Megan!' She saw Josh giving his little step-sister a piggy-back ride.

Sam grinned heartily.

Dustin took his cellular phone, apparently in order to call nevel and inform him about Megan's arrival.

'Megan's boob has got it easy!' Sam moaned. 'With a head like this, he doesn't need a Halloween mask, he looks like a monster, anyways!'

Megan applauded Sam.

Josh twitched.

Megan jumped off Josh's broad shoulders which started hurting.

'Zoey!' Dustin squealed when his sister arrived.

Zoey hugged her little brother.

Nevel arrived, high-fiving with Megan on site.

Ashley Blake, dressed as a pirate lady, made it to the fountain as well. She drew her rapier and pointed it at Spencer. 'Say your last prayers, Steve!'

Spencer startles and squealed. That Ms. Zorro must have confused him with his cousin Crazy Steve, maybe Steve with a wig? Barring the length of her hair, it was really not easy to tell Spencer and Steve apart. He evaded quickly. 'Hey, I've been in the fencing team of college!' But then he slipped.

Ashley twitched with her hand, and the point of her rapier nimbly sliced through Spencer's belt, making his pants drop.

'You better don't dare to mess with Ashley!' Freddie bellowed at Spencer. 'I've trained her, I, the last living member of the proud dynasty of the Fencing Bensons!'

Spencer fainted with shame when everyone laughed about his ducky boxers.

Sam stepped in front of Spencer, covering his groin.

Josh sighed. He had finally recovered from having carried Megan on his shoulders. 'OK … Megan, Nevel … I've got a surprise for you!'

Nevel and Megan listened carefully.

Josh sighed. 'You're now together for almost three months, and you're the cutest couple I've ever come to stumble upon. So I've used my drawing skills and designed this …' He fetched a box from his pockets, twitching all over. Then he opened it. 'I know that you want it!'

'Promise rings?' Megan beamed.

Nevel almost couldn't believe it. 'Really?'

Spencer and Zoey glared at each other. 'OK!' They bellowed unison.

Carly was worried. What were Zoey and Spencer hiding? Something that had to do with the box? Those little boxes seemed to be very fashionalble …

Zoey had such a little chest or box, whatever, too.

Spencer gave his box to Dustin at the same time as Zoey gave hers to Carly.

Sam was curious when Carly opened her box. 'What a ring!'

Carly squealed with excitement.

Dustin tried to roar instead, but he failed miserably.

Nevel and Megan, Dustin and Carly bounced around.

Zoey explained: 'I've designed those rings for Chase and myself, but it never came to that. Now I've found couples more worthy of them …'

'Isn't that sweet?' Spencer beamed.

Freddie shook Dustin's hand. 'It's OK, you're really the best fan Carly could have wished for.' He sighed.

Dustin and Carly took their rings, still hesitatingly. But they really wanted it.

Josh chuckled. 'And in order to give the whole thing an accoustic framework, there he is … the one and only …' Josh hesitated for a moment. 'Drake Parker!'

A guy, masked as Abe Lincoln with a bikini, tore the mask from his face, unveiling himself as the rock legend of the future: Drake Parker. 'Hi sis!' He grinned at Megan who was flabbergasted.

Sam's heart stood still. 'Drake Parker? You are carly's cousin?' She was consternated and upset. Grabbing Carly, she bellowed. 'Why have you never told me that Drake is your cousin?'

Carly coughed.

Josh and Spencer tore Sam and Carly apart.

Finally, Melanie and Shelby appeared. 'Phew, have we missed anything?' they wondered unison.

Josh sighed. 'While the couples exchange their rings, Drake will play _I will be here_[7:2].'

The audience gasped.

Drake strummed his guitar.

Shelby interrupted Drake. 'Hi, I'm Shelby Marx.'

'Hi?' Drake wondered.

Shelby coughed. 'My cousin Lola Martines is looking for the perfect kisser. Megan told me that you have got a lot of expertise in that field …'

Drake nodded. 'Certainly! Tell your cousin … she"s that famous teenie actress, right?' Drake swooned when he saw Shelby nod. 'I will give her a demo of my expertise if she calls me. That's my number …' He rendered a business card unto Shelby before he continued playing the guitar.

'Will do!' Shelby grinned.

Megan and Nevel donned their rings right on site.

Carly and Dustin felt the urge to say something.

'I, Carly Shay, accept this ring rendered unto me by you, Dustin Books, as a sign for our unbreakable link.'

Dustin said something to the same avail.

Drake's guitar filled the air.

The freshly promised couples started singing along.

Nevel and Dustin started, gazing at their respective girl.

* * *

Tomorrow morning if you wake up  
and the sun does not appear  
I will be here

* * *

Megan and Carly replied.

* * *

If in the dark, we lose sight of love  
Hold my hand, and have no fear  
'Cause I will be here

* * *

Finally, the boys and girls sang together.

* * *

When you feel like being quiet  
When you need to speak your mind  
I will listen  
And I will be here  
When the laughter turns to cryin'  
Through the winning, losing and trying  
We'll be together  
I will be here

* * *

Freddie and Sam watched in awe. Why did nobody promise unto them like that?

Zoey and Spencer high-fived again. Their younger siblings had been growing so fast.

'Dustin has outgrown me.' Zoey sighed. 'I've messed up all my ships: Chase, James, and so on, now I'm going to be an old spinster.'

Spencer sobbed. 'Carly has outgrown me, and I'm 13 years older, not just your four years.'

Zoey shrugged. 'Does that hurt?'

Spencer nodded sadly. 'I always catch the wrong girls with bad taste and worse manners … see, there was Ms. Ackerman who was plain annoying, Stephanie who wanted me to say hi to her imaginary unicorn, and stuffs … I'm struck by such a terrible curse. I will rue the day, until dystopia will I rue it!'

Zoey urged Spencer to sob at her shoulders and wrapped her arms around him. 'Poor Spencer! Maybe I should make you some more fanciful socks and ties.'

'Thanks!' Spencer sighed with relief.

Many pupils glared at Spencer and Zoey.

'Ummm … what are we doing?' Zoey stammered and blushed.

Spencer didn't have an answer, he just felt all warm and fuzzy when Zoey was around.

Along came Dean Rivers and coughed. 'Attention! We are now going to present the Halloween arts for our party. Come on, kids!' He had hired a few midddle school kids to establish boothes with the Halloween arts. He commanded the kids to unveil the pieces of art that were kitherto hidden under blankets. 'Team One: The classical pumpkin arts, presented by a group around Spencer Shay!'

Many pupils applauded.

Spencer clenched his right fist and threw it aloft.

Zoey nodded. 'Not bad!'

Spencer shrugged. 'I like pumpkin sculptures!'

'Die, you crazy beast!' Ashley bellowed, sticking her rapier right through some pumpkin skull.

'Save me, Zorro,' some middle school kids told Ashley.

Dean Rivers coughed again. 'OK. The second team will be one advised by our honoured alumna Stacey Dillsen!'

Stacey grinned while her arts, spider webs and other grisly things made from cotton swabs and white glue, were unveiled. 'Hello, my name is Stacey Dillsen, I'm from Swampscott, Massachusetts. My sister works for a nurse's station in an hospital in Mississippi.' Her lisp was particularly penetrant.

This sculpture did polarise the onlookers. Many thought of it as totally lame, but many others were totally excited. The sculptures were awfully scary.

Spencer shuddered. 'I get the goose pimples …'

Zoey nodded. 'I've never liked Stacey a lot, but this sculpture really does it.'

Dean Rivers continued. 'The third team … Zoey Brooks has designed some Halloween costumes, but where are they?'

Zoey giggled. 'The pupils wear them already! My prototype is on Ashley Blake!'

Ashley grinned when she diisplayed her Zorro costume.

* * *

To be or not to be, that is the question.

* * *

Ashley swang her rapier, ripping through Stacey's wonderful spider web.

Stacey burst into tears.

Many other pupils who wore Zoey's costumes fessed up on site.

Zoey harvested a whole bunch of applause.

Dean Rivers nodded. 'OK … and , last but not least, there's the group of unknown artist Josh Nichols!'

Josh twitched. 'Hi … hi? Hi!' He almost stumbled.

The lifting of a blanket reveiled a painting of some unknown guy in a very scary outfit..

'What's that?' Dean Rivers needed to know.

'It's a Halloween clown! A very diabolic clown that only appears on Halloween and tricks and treats teachers.' Josh beamed brightly.

The masses applauded.

'A clown?' Dean Rivers was flabbergasted. He choked and coughed.

'Erm … ' Josh sighed. He didn't know that Dean Rivers was allergic to clowns.[7:3]

Dean Rivers shook his head. 'OK, in virtue of my office as the headmaster of this honourable school, it's my plight to designate a new adviser for the club for constructive arts. And the winner is …' He hesitated.

The suspense among the onlookers grew steadily.

Dean Rivers coughed. 'It's Stacey Dillsen!'

Stacey clapped her hands, and bounced around. Unfortunately, she stumbled into Josh, and both of them slumped into the dirt, their faces making the mud splatter.

Spencer and Zoey sighed and moaned.

Josh was already disappointed, the crash with Stacey was just a confirmation of his bad luck.

Stacey sobbed. 'Sorry!'

'No prob, I should have stepped aside …' Josh sighed.

Josh and Stacey helped each other up again.

'You don't laugh sarcastically about my lisp?' Stacey wondered.

Josh shook his head. 'I suffer enough from people laughing about my twitching and my big head.' He sighed. 'Your lisp makes you particularly sweet.'

'Oh, really?' Stacey grinned. 'I've almost been stripped of it after running into a car. But the day after, my lisp came back.'

Josh smiled. 'I like it. Do you want to be my Halloween bride?'

Stacey smiled. 'Sure! Let's dance!'

In this moment, Dean Rivers opened the Halloween party officially.

For Freddie, that meant: 'Time for our Halloween special!' Cookie had prepared everything.

Carly and Sam nodded. The promise celebration had been wonderful, but the show had to go on.

'Online in 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1' Freddie boomed.

'I'm Carly …'

'I'm Sam!'

'Today, we aren't in our little studio …' Carly beamed.

'No, we aren't!' Sam bellowed.

'This is our Halloween special edition …' Carly smiled. 'Live on the campus of the Pacific Coast Academy in California.'

Sam and Carly explained that they were going to show the craziest Halloween masks ever. They thanked the viewers who had submitted them.

Dustin waved into the cam.

Carly smiled. 'Oh, before I forget it … there's a special guy in my life … Dustin Brooks!'

Sam urged Carly and Dustin to show their promise rings.

Carly and Sam showed one video about strange masks.

Freddie told the viewer to vote on their favourite Halloween video.

'Oooooh' Carly grinned. 'Freddie, have we got a winner?'

Freddie nodded. 'Indeed! It's video number four!'

'Two masked kittens!' Sam bellowed.

The pupils applauded.

'Now we want to know … who has submitted the video …' Carly announced.

Freddie whispered something into Carly's ears.

'Can't be!' Carly moaned. 'Dustin, do you want to announce the winner?'

Dustin nodded. 'The winner is …' He sighed. 'Megan Parker, Carly's cousin and sister of immortal rock legend Drake Parker!'

Drake and Megan rushed in front of the cam.

'Hi!' Megan grinned. 'Popular belief notwithstanding, I'm very proud of Drake!'

Drake smiled.

The pupils urged Drake to sing something. So far, most of the pupils had believed that Drake was just a fool masking as Drake, but now they recognised how real he was.

'I'm going to play a special song I've written for my sister Megan.' Drake sighed. 'It's _Leave It All To Me!_'[7:4]

The pupils applauded when Drake stepped in front of the cam.

Drake and Megan sang the song.

Carly concluded the broadcast. 'See us again when we are back to Seattle!'

Freddie sighed. 'Off to a trick-or-treat frenzy!'

Wendy and Ashley grabbed Freddie.

'I think Ashley will sack many a teacher's home with her costume and her rapier!' Carly grinned.

'Good for Dorkward!' Sam sighed. 'He gets all the green candy.' She swooned, envying Freddie.

Spencer and Zoey watched the pupils.

'Did you know that the ancient Celts called that day Samhain?' Zoey asked. 'It was a day where the spirits of the netherworld were invoked for divination about death, marriage, health, and similar stuff. Many things hitherto hidden are reveiled and avenged.'

Spencer shrugged. 'Dunno, I don't know any old Celt, they are all dead by now.'

Zoey nodded.

Nevel and Megan walked over to them.

'Thanks again for the rings …' Nevel said.

'You're welcome!' Zoey sighed. 'You are an expert for curses, do you know something about witchcraft and Halloween?'

Nevel and Megan nodded vigorously.

'May I play Paganini's _Witches' dance_ on my oboe?' She chuckled.

Nevel grinned. 'Halloween is the day where everyone is going to rue it, until dystopia will they do so. Halloween is 40 days after the equinox of the Libra.'

Megamn unzipped the scabbard of her oboe.

'And I should worry about that?'Spencer shrugged.

Nevel looked sternly. 'The barriers to the otherworld are very thin, especially on those days. 40 is one ninth of the circle.'

Spencer tried to calculate this, but he failed.

'Don't you know the power of the enneagram? It has the virtue to unveil the hidden!' Megan chuckled before starting to play her flute.

Spencer and Zoey shrugged helplessly.

Nevel grinned. He relaxed at the sound of Megan's oboe. 'Awwww … well, I love dystopia.'

All of a sudden, a lightning flashed and a thunder roared.

'Green lightning …' Zoey squealed. 'The ghost of Charles Galloway is back!'

Sam choked. 'Consuela's evil revenge! We are lost!'

Nevel stood up and held his hands aloft.

The flickering shine of the lightning revealed that Nevel Papperman had engraved an enneagram into his palms. 'Charles Galloway! I, Nevel Papperman, the prophet of the things gone by and the things to come … '

Megan had already interrupted her performance. As Nevel's loyal medium, she stood by his side.

Everyone else - pupils, staff, or guests - was either downright flabbergasted or screamed with horror.

'Don't worry, boob, I'm here!' Megan whispered to Drake.

Josh twitched even more than usual.

Stacey held him very tightly. She couldn't bear the spectral appearance without the bighead's help.

A spectral mass swirled around. Then it solidified into a humanoid shape.

'Fess up!' Megan commanded the revenant brashly.

'My name is Charles Galloway!' The revenant started talking. Actually, Megan borrowed her voice unto him. 'But I'm also known as Consuela. You have brought me back from the tomb. I'm still feeble. But I'm growing stronger and stronger.'

'Are you behind the unusual occurances at this school?!' Nevel thundered.

In this moment, Ashley and her followers came back from their trick-or-treat crusade.

Freddie proudly displayed his loot: Hundreds of green gummi worms, caramels, skittles, and other candy. And none of them were sugar free! It was the greatest night in his life.

Sam poked Freddie's ribs, but he wasn't going to part with them. Sam sighed. Alas, Freddie had suffered from Ashley's lunacity, so the candy was rightfully his and only his. Sam respected that.

Charles admitted everything. He was guilty as charged, responsible for the dismay that the pupils had suffered: The troubles between Chase and Zoey, Michael's insane hallucinations, Quinn liking the absolutely wrong guy, and whatever happened.

Carly and Dustin both trembled.

Charles Galloway saw their promise rings. 'This school has been a breeding place of the money-and-sex cult for one hundred years. But now it's time for me to retire: The pure love between two formerly fallen mortals, Dustin and Carly, has broken the curse. I'm going back to my tomb!' The revenant was slowly etherealising again.

The pupils cheered.

Sam had to tell Freddie what had happened in his absence. 'And you had fun with your Ashley …'

Freddie didn't believe it, but he had to when he saw Galloway dissipating into thin air.

In order to seal Galloway away for good, Megan and Nevel performed Mozart's Requiem, using the powerful medieval poem of Thomas of Cœlano.

'Carly and Dustin are fallen mortals?' Sam wondered.

'Carly has fallen when she kissed Ben Hoopsher, Dustin when he kissed Melanie Puckett!' Nevel remarked.

'Oh my god!' Sam boomed sarcastically.

'She's not my Ashley!' Freddie boomed sadistically into Sam's face.

Ashley shrugged. 'Sure not. But Freddie needs to recognise what is right in front of his face, then he will also understand the things hitherto hidden.'

Spencer looked at his watch. 'It's time to say goodbye!' He sighed deeply. 'We will return to Seattle tomorrow before noon!'

Zoey sighed. 'OK, but let's stay in contact!' She waved sadly.

Spencer nodded. 'Sure, Ms. Brooks!' He smiled when he waved at Zoey. He grabbed Carly, Freddie, and Sam. Then they walked away. They had to return to their hotel and get some sleep before the plane trip. It wasn't easy to leave Dustin, Zoey, Melanie, Shelby, and many others behind, just to reunite with Ms. Benson, Lewbert, Ms. Briggs, and other annoying beasts that were way worse than ten Consuelas and Galloways.

* * *

**Chapter 8 Conclusions**

* * *

**Time:** The weeks after Halloween

While the kids had returned to Seattle and were still waiting for an answer from Dean Rivers, they wondered whether they should go to the Pacific Coast Academy, with or without Spencer.

Needless to say Dean Rivers approved wholeheartedly of the applications of Sam, Freddie, and Spencer.

Suddenly, Spencer received a new message from his idol Harrold Joyner[8:1]. Spencer was chosen as a custodian and guide for a new private museum for modern arts in the greater Los-Angelos area. Joyner also persuaded Ms. Benson into letting Freddie go to California.

Moving into the LA area also caused Spencer to meet Zoey Brooks more often. And besides true affection, this meant more and more fashionable socks and similar accessories, every time Spencer wanted and needed them. And like Spencer's flashing socks, his love for Zoey could no longer be hidden under a bushel.

Finally, Freddie recognised what Ashley Blake meant with her remark about things in front of his face: Sam was the one who was the one right in front of him, all the time, so he didn't feel the need to look any further. She enjoyed torturing and being tortured by Freddie, and vice versa, and both of them were tech freaks of some sort. For generations, the Bensons had failed to appreciate the vicinity of the Pucketts, thinking of them as vermin, until Freddie figured that Sam was the true pearl he had always been looking for.

Upon Megan's and Nevel's requiem, a bunch of other students reappeared: Chase Matthews, Michael Barret, Logan Rees, James Garrett, Quinn Pensky, and Lola Martinez.

Melanie could finally fess up that James was her real crush, even if he was really Jake Crendle's twin brother. And it was precisely for finding James Garrett that Melanie had called for Carly's help in the first place. Zoey now respected Melanie fully.

Carly shrugged helplessly. She had found Dustin, plus a bunch of other new friends, and that had made the whole trip worth the trouble.

And if Freddie and Sam haven't died yet, they still bicker on and on, like an old and new couple, as that's the way they like each other.

* * *

** 0:1**:

* * *

by Fernando Pessoa

**0:2**:

* * *

medieval funeral hymn by Thomas of Celano : The judge is sitting down, reveiling all things hidden, leaving none unavenged

**0:3**:

* * *

from the Gospel according of Thomas

**1:1**:

* * *

cf. _iScream On Halloween_

**1:2**:

* * *

cf. _iStage An Intervention_

**1:3**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Curse At PCA_

**1:4**:

* * *

song by Pollo Del Mar which I don't own

**1:5**:

* * *

cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Drake and Josh Go Hollywood_. There's also a Hotel Chambrolay in Seattle, cf. _The iCarly Show_: _iRocked The Votes_, and on Maui, Hawaii, cf. _Zoey 101_: _Chasing Zoey_

**2:1**:

* * *

_Zoey 101_: _Broadcast Views_

**2:2**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Back at PCA_

**2:3**:

* * *

cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Little Diva_

**2:4**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Bad Girl_

**2:5**:

* * *

cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Treehouse_

**2:6**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Webcam_

**2:7**:

* * *

cf. _iPromote Techfoots_

**2:8**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Chasing Zoey_

**2:9**:

* * *

cf. _iCarly Saves TV_

**3:1**:

* * *

cf. _Drake & Josh_: _First Crush_

**3:2**:

* * *

cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Number One Fan_. Not to be confused with some Wendy from second season of iCarly!

**3:3**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Haunted House_

**3:4**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Bad Girl_

**3:5**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Bad Girl_

**3:6**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _The Great Vince_

**3:7**:

* * *

mentioned, but not portrayed in _Zoey 101_: _Silver Hammers_

**4:1**:

* * *

cf. _True Jackson VP_: _True Crush_

**5:1**:

* * *

Song by Survivor which I don't own.

**5:2**:

* * *

from the opera _Carmen_ by Georges Bizet

**5:3**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Lola likes Chase_

**5:4**:

* * *

based on _Take Me To The Matador_ by Jeffreys Garland.

**5:5**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Lola likes Chase_

**5:6**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Lola likes Chase_

**5:7**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Good-bye Zoey_

**5:8**:

* * *

cf. _iKiss_

**6:1**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Coffee Cart Ban_

**7:1**:

* * *

cf. _iMeet Fred_

**7:2**:

* * *

song by S.C. Chapman which I don't own either

**7:3**:

* * *

cf. _Zoey 101_: _Spring Fling_

**7:4**:

* * *

song that I don't own, by Miranda Cosgrove, featuring Drake Bell

**8:1**:

* * *

cf. _iHeart Arts_

* * *

_This document was translated from L[A]T[E]X by __H__V__A__._


End file.
